Destiny's People
by silvermaiden19
Summary: He left the academy after that battle with Rido. He kissed me good-bye. He told me that he loved me more than life itself. Then he stepped through the car. And he never came back. And all of it happened four years ago.
1. Broken Bonds

**Author's Notes**

I've posted this part here in order to get some information out since I won't be posting long notes in the next chapters. I would advise everyone to read this part first before heading on to the story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the vampire knight characters that would be appearing in this story. This story is only done for fun and entertainment. J

**Title: **The story begun as I was writing the new chapters for my other ongoing stories. I had originally planned this as a one shot story but it ended up turning into a series as well. The story was inspired by lots of things mainly the Japanese song I was listening to while writing. I used the song's title as the title to this story. It was called _**"Destiny's People."**_

**Ratings:**Unlike my first story, Final Code Arcana, this story is already rated to M. The main reason is that it would contain themes that would definitely not fit at the other ratings.

**Textual/Content Notations: **I've decided to use the first name, last name structure since there are several characters here with names from other nationalities. I've retained Japanese suffixes where I feel that they are appropriate. Some Japanese words would be used from time to time like onii-san, onee-san, and so on since it seemed to fit better than their English counterparts.

**Back Story: **Kaname Kuran and Zero Kiryuu had been going out with each other for almost a year and a half. After the battle with Rido, Zero had thought that everything was going to return back to normal again. He had begun thinking about the future despite the losses he suffered in the past. But he never expected that he would lose something or someone again. Kaname left a few days later with a hasty goodbye and Zero watched him go. Not realizing that it was a true farewell.

Four years have passed and Zero had given up on ever seeing Kaname face to face again. He lived in anger and sadness, not knowing why Kaname left him. He worked at the Hunter's Association from time to time and also worked in his other normal profession. Yet despite all of that, he could not leave behind nor forget the memories he shared with the pureblood. An unexpected assignment. A new enemy. Chances that would bring them together once again and reform the severed bonds.

Time is finally running out and the two must find closure once and for all before the enemy forces them to sacrifice something far more important than anything else in the world. Each other's life.

**Story Summary:** He left the academy after that battle. He kissed me good-bye. He told me that he loved me more than life itself. Then he stepped through the car. And he never came back. All of it happened four years ago.

**Feedback and Length: **This is a long story as well. Chapter length will vary between 5000-10000 words on average but it will be shorter compared to final code arcana and return to innocence. It will stretch to 10 or so chapters.

Feedbacks and comments are always appreciated. It would help in developing this story and possibly inspiring me to continue on with this new project of mine.

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><p><strong>Destiny's People<strong>

**Chapter One – Broken Bonds**

-Zero-

There were so many words to describe these whirlwind of emotions plaguing me whenever I remembered what happened to me almost four years ago. In my seriously messed up life, I thought that I had a chance to regain the happiness and normalcy I lost since my transformation as a vampire. But I guess I was terribly mistaken. Because as soon as I found my happiness, I lost it again.

And this time, I believe it was for good.

I looked out of the window to the streets outside. My room is located at the fifth floor of the apartment I am currently residing in. The streets were dark, despite the many streetlights along the road. People moved like ants on the pavement below, avoiding the small pools of light. There was almost no telling which were human and which were vampires. I wondered briefly that if the sun suddenly rose and bathed them all in light, whether they would scurry away and seek their darkness elsewhere.

Getting bored with the sight, I walk barefooted across my room and slump heavily on the duvet. I place my arm in front of my eyes and sighed.

I had decided to move to this apartment while I was still studying my last year at Cross Academy. The others thought that it was because I wanted to be independent given my attitude during my years as a student at that school. But the main reason I left was because my old home reminded me too much of _him._ I _needed_ to get away. To go someplace else. To leave that painful past behind because if I stayed, I would have ended up losing more of myself. I didn't want to mope around all the time and think about everything I've lost during the course of my existence. I had more pride than that and I'm sure that everyone I knew would not want that from me. I can keep on going no matter what happened.

But I know deep inside that I was just lying to myself to make me feel better.

My whole, fucking life is just one big lie.

I had never forgotten the pains in my past. I had never gotten over the betrayals. I had never so much as accepted that I was not human anymore. I have never forgiven myself from loving that bastard.

People always thought that I was so strong to have overcome all the trials I faced. I kept up my mask of indifference, my strong-willed attitude, my defiant nature. I know that I came across as rude and cold-hearted but it was the only way I could hide my weaknesses. The only way I could force myself to keep on living even after knowing that I had nothing left.

I took out Bloody Rose from my bedside drawer. I remembered that I haven't gone on missions lately. Maybe I should drop by the Hunter's Association later and see if I could go on one as soon as possible. Hunting Level E's seemed to distract me from thinking about depressing things.

_Shit!_

I couldn't help but curse myself as I feel the wetness in the edge of my eyes. I wiped them away hastily. Not again. Why does this always happen unexpectedly? God, I'm so pathetic.

Every time I looked at Bloody Rose, it reminded me too much of him. Maybe because back in the days, I used to draw it and threaten him despite knowing that I would never pull the trigger. But then, everything in the goddamn city reminded me of him. There was no escape. At night I dreamed of him, of our year together, of how we would sleep, back to back. I would remember how his hair smelled after a shower, or how his eyes crinkled when he smiled at me. If only I could forget about him. But my very blood yearned for him, for his soft lips to kiss my neck, for the feel of his fangs as they pierced my skin and filled me with an overwhelming wave of contentment. My entire body was attuned to the loss. It grieved and mourned along with my soul.

It was ironic really.

The truth was that I fell in love with a pureblood vampire.

A damned bastard who managed to break through the walls I built so hard in order to protect myself from the pain I would undoubtedly experience by getting close to others. I knew that I needed it after my parents' death and my twin brother's betrayal. I couldn't suffer another loss and expect myself to still be okay. But of all the people I met; only he broke through my defenses and showed me that even someone like me could still have a fairly normal life.

But in the end, just like everyone I knew. He left. Kaname Kuran left me without even telling me _why._

I did everything I could and fought Rido for him. We won the battle just as he had predicted so long ago. I was even willing to leave the Hunter's Association behind so I could be together with him. But he decided to leave the academy for a while to settle things in the Vampire Council after that battle. I still had a year of schooling to finish and I knew that I owed Cross to finish my education for having taken care of me for years. For not giving up hope on me when everyone else did. That is why I stayed.

Before he left, we spent the night together. Just the two of us. I didn't know that those few hours was the last time I would have with him. The next morning, he kissed me good-bye. He told me that he loved me more than life itself. Then he stepped through the car. And he never came back.

I remember being anxious for days and I called a couple of times only to get a message from the receiver telling me to call again. I tried asking his acquaintances but they wouldn't tell me anything. I tried to find him but I didn't catch a glimpse of him anywhere. It was like he disappeared from my life in an instant.

I rolled to my side and gazed at the night sky from the window.

I would have thought that he had the decency to tell me that he was breaking up with me. But he didn't do that, he just dropped from my life without even a fucking reason. How cruel could he be to make me wonder for years? To make me suffer without even trying.

I know it's really crass – stupid even – to compare my being dumped to a family member's unexpected death, but I can't help my line of thinking. Because for me, at any rate, the aftermath felt exactly the same. For the first few months, I'd wake up in a fog of disbelief. _That didn't really happen at all, did it? Oh fuck, it did, you big idiot._ It took another few months for it all to sink in. But unlike with a family member's death – other people are there, other people are present, other people help you, other people are there to lean on – after Kaname left, I was all alone. There was just nobody to step up to the plate for. So I in the end just let everything fall away and everything just sort of stopped.

My hope. My future. My heart.

Everything became a void.

"Zero, you in there!"

Someone calls my name and knocks heavily on the door. I sighed deeply and get up half-heartedly on the bed. I've been feeling more tired than I've ever been in my life. I just couldn't shake out the lethargy even after all these years. I opened the door to see Kaito Takamiya on the other side.

"Took you a long time to answer the door," he tells me as I step away from the threshold.

He enters and takes off his long coat before sitting at the couch in the living room. He studies me intently and I wonder what the hell he's thinking about. Kaito was also a student of Yagari-sensei just like me and Ichiru. We didn't get along well at first but things change after a few years. Sometimes this guy crashes in my apartment and sometimes we also go out on missions together. I know for certain that Cross and Yagari was using Kaito to keep an eye on me.

But I decided to let this go. In the end, Kaito was one of the closest friends I had just like Yuuki and Sayori.

"Are you feeling all right? No offense, but you look like shit, Zero," he says after a while.

"Is there anything you need from me?" I ask him tonelessly, hoping to change the subject.

He sighs heavily as if knowing that I was dodging his question on purpose.

"The Association wants you to go on another mission tonight. Or rather, they want us to go on another mission," he tells me seriously. He hands me a folder and I decide to take a look at it later on. "By the way… Here. Yagari told me to give it to you."

I catch the bottle that Kaito throws in my direction. It was the prescribed medicine that the doctor had been giving me for the past few months. Despite the fact that it helps me forget my loneliness and such, it isn't enough. Because the memories are still fresh in my mind. And there was no forgetting any time soon.

"So… What have you been up to lately?" Kaito asks in an attempt to fill the silence that undoubtedly suffocates us both.

"Nothing," I reply instantly.

"Why don't you play for the band once again?"

I didn't reply and opt to stay silent as I dropped my gaze to the floor.

_The band._ I hadn't thought of that until today when he mentioned it to me. With all of the things happening all at once, it was pushed at the back of my mind. I remembered that Kaito started the band just to take our mind off our problems. I thought it was childish and a rather stupid idea but I was surprised that he managed to recruit people. I joined later on after being pestered to the point of annoyance. The other reason was that it helped me forget a little about Kaname leaving me.

Trinity Cross.

It was the name Kaito came up with and I had no objections. Or rather, he didn't give room for one. The first time we played at a club in town, I thought that we would majorly suck. Sayori also thought so and we were prepared to be embarrassed for the rest of our lives. Only Yuuki and Kaito thought that we would do well. Damned optimists. That day, Kaito persuaded me to sing the new song I wrote entitled 'Perfect World.' We began playing and afterwards, to my surprise, the crowd liked us and shouted for an encore.

It was funny to think that song would make us well-known. I wrote that song the night I was plagued by the memory of Kaname's departure from my life. I was angry and sad and confused. I sat at the desk then and began writing the lyrics. Every single one of those feelings I had were put onto those words. Words that describe what I felt as he abandoned me. Words that describe what I still felt for him.

"I don't know," I answer finally.

"Well… uh… if you know…" Kaito tried to scramble for words. "You decide to play again; you know where to find me."

"Yeah, thanks."

"No problem."

As I spend my time with Kaito's company, I manage to push away my thoughts from earlier. But I know that as soon as I'm alone, I would begin to remember once again. I only hoped that the mission tonight would do me justice and blow away the emotional roller coaster I am on right now. Because I can't take it anymore.

I don't want this anymore.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

-Normal-

It was cold that night, much colder than the other nights he had gone on a hunt. And of course there was the fog, which laid itself over everything like some blanket and softened the glow of the lights in the city to a haze. The fog came almost every night this time of the year according to the residents in this place. Zero Kiryuu was miles away from his own home and he knew little of this place. He wondered how the others were doing. He was sure that Kaito was silently waiting while Akira, another young hunter, was complaining to himself about the cold.

There were a few of them here since the hunt involved a number of level ends. He could take care of it alone but he guessed that Yagari-sensei didn't want him to take chances. Given how recklessly he had been for some time now, he knew that his teacher was right in his judgment.

His footsteps echoed loudly through the silence and he cursed himself when he accidentally hit a rock. He combed the deserted building for any sign of his enemy. The clouds shifted and he was illuminated by the moon's pale rays. His unique silver-amethyst eyes bore no hint of emotion and his silver hair was tucked under a black gastby hat. His knee-length coat rustled as he walked along the silence. A glint of light bounced on his chest as the rays caught the silver cross on his neck.

He turned around the corner and came upon a new set of hallways leading deeper inside the huge building. The windows were boarded up by planks of wood and only a few rays of light streamed through its gaps. There were also a number of rooms in here but none seemed to hold his interest. He didn't feel any sign of life in each one. He was sure that there was nothing but a dead end. No point in wasting his time there. He tuned back to the previous path and tried to find another route.

His earpiece went on and he heard Kaito's voice amidst the static interference.

"How's the search going in the second floor? I managed to take down three Level E's in the first floor and Akira killed one in the basement."

He came upon a set of stairs leading to the third floor and he took a step towards it, he knew that there was a vampire close to him. He went up slowly and knew instantly that there was something in the corridor.

"There's nothing in the second floor. But I can sense a vampire in the third floor," he replied as he held the sword tighter on his hand. He didn't want to use his gun this time. Not when it ended up distracting him on a mission. This sword was Ichiru's and he also treasured it just as much as Bloody Rose. He managed to reconcile with his younger brother before Ichiru died. That is why this sword was left in his possession. He walked cautiously on the third floor corridor, keeping all of his senses on high alert as he treaded on the enemy's den. There was a sudden echo of footsteps and he stopped in his tracks.

"I'll head to the upper floors soon. Be careful and don't be reckless," Kaito told him as the communication went off.

The silence stretched on as he stood in the middle of the hallway. He closed his eyes as he expanded his senses and concentrated deeply. As he opened his eyes, gone were its normal color and instead in its place was a bright shade of crimson that shone like rubies in the darkness.

The Level E's rushed towards him without hesitation. Zero ducked under a strike aimed for his head and easily grabbed the vampire's hand, gaining leverage and throwing her over his shoulder towards the others aiming for his back. He sidestepped as another came after him this time aiming for his heart. The vampire's attacked him ferociously and he avoided them with ease. His eyes focused on each movement, taking in every minor detail while memorizing the pattern of the attacks.

_I haven't fought like this in a while,_ he thought as he backed away a couple of steps from the Level E's.

He slowly unsheathed his blade, the silver katana glinting dangerously in the darkness. The sound of metal being drawn from its scabbard echoed amidst the growls of the insane vampires. The remarkable blade shone fiercely as it was fully drawn. He passed his fingers through the metal and invoked a charm to activate its anti-vampire properties. The sword glowed momentarily to reveal a set of mysterious letters in ancient language.

How long had he lived in fear that he may hurt someone unintentionally? He knew that his level of control was different from normal vampires but it didn't mean that there wouldn't be occasional slips. He did care about others despite their belief that he was too cold and apathetic. Though back in high school, people seemed to think that it was pretty cool. He never really figured out that kind of thought.

It was part of his nature to desire blood and to need it despite the blood tablets being produced to counter the effects of bloodlust. In a way, some would think he wasn't really different from those so-called monsters. That thought hurt quite a bit and he was well aware that some humans still think of them that way. Especially considering what kind of vampire he was. They had reason to be cautious of him. Maybe it was this kind of desire to prove to something to himself that drove him to do this job despite what he was.

Zero stared at the level ends with his crimson gaze as he finally shifted the sword and readied his stance. The same one he had been using for years and one that was taught to him by his parents' and Yagari-sensei.

The heavy scent of blood filled the air as Zero swung his katana in a deadly arc and instantly sliced through a level ends body. He didn't break any concentration as the body thudded to the ground, the blood from its torn flesh staining the floor in a darkened shade of red. He maneuvered to the right as he avoided a fatal blow to his heart and brought down his blade vertically before the enemy could evade, decapitating it.

A split second later, he thrust it forward to another vampire, straight to its heart. Zero was sure that the level ends didn't even feel their life being snuffed out as he continued with his assault. He tried to make it as painless as possible with his katana. Always making sure that he hit the vital areas instantly.

_I don't know why I'm doing this anymore. I don't understand what I should do. _

Even those thoughts in mind, Zero still continued his attacks and hoped that these fallen vampires had finally found their peace at last. He easily avoided every blow sent his way and countered it with one of his own. Despite the blood bath in the third floor corridor, it seemed that it didn't affect him entirely. The clothes that he had been wearing were still in their normal condition. There were a few flecks of blood in his coat but none too noticeable.

He knew that a minute or two later, the bodies would soon disintegrate to dust. Silence soon followed as he lashed out for the last time and he stood there in corridor as though deep in thought.

He swung his blade to the side, sending away the blood staining it. A few seconds later, he inserted the sword back to its scabbard. The bells tied to it jingled and Zero was reminded of the old days. So much has changed all these years. His eyes returned to their normal color and he instinctively looked below as he detected the only presence to be there.

_That's weird, I passed that place a few minutes ago,_ he thought deeply.

There was a flurry of movement and he watched as if in slow motion. Another vampire made a straight course towards him, a rabid gleam in its eyes. It leaped into the air and Zero kicked out hard, sending it sailing down the hall. He pulled out Bloody Rose and shot it straight to the heart before it could attack again.

Upon seeing the gun, he was once again plagued by the memories of a time best forgotten.

_No good. I can't lose concentration now of all times,_ he told himself firmly.

"I'm heading down to the second floor, I missed the enemy there," Zero said as he opened the communication.

"Got that. Everything else is clear at the other floors," Kaito responded immediately. "I'll meet you at the second floor soon."

He rushed down the stairs and headed to a particular room where he felt the vampire. The lock on the door was broken. He pushed in open cautiously; he put down the katana by the side of the door and pulled out his gun again.

Nothing was inside.

Was he imagining things? But he was fairly certain that there was still another enemy here.

The room smelled musty, with a faint sickly-sweet edge to it. Zero waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloom and then stepped inside without a sound. The Level E would run if it knew he was coming; his only hope of catching it lay in stealth. Quietly, he shut the door, and the chill darkness consumed him. Satisfying himself that the vampire was not in the immediate vicinity, he pushed quietly onwards.

He ascended the steps into the waiting darkness above. Here, ragged cloth curtains had been left hanging over the pair of windows that allowed the muted gaslight glow inside. It was even darker than the last, and smelled of animal – a musky scent that made him gag as he crept up. This one was scattered with boxes and old crates, a hundred hiding-places, any one of which might conceal the vampire he sought. Quietly he stepped into the room. The night air seemed to exude menace, a cold deeper than the night chill that slipped through his nostrils and down his throat to cool his heart.

A thump on the ceiling made him lurch in alarm, and he instinctively brought up his gun. He crossed the room soundlessly, his anti-vampire gun trained on the hatch at the top of a rickety ladder.

He pushed down the trepidation in his gut and put one hand to the ladder rung, the wood rough beneath his palms. His weapon aimed up the ladder, he crept slowly, silently, praying that the aged wood would not creak and give him away. Miraculously, it held his weight with ease, making not a sound.

He poked his head out of the hatch. There were few nauseating moments when he expected to be hit from any direction – he was sure to check _up_, as well – but nothing came. Cautiously, he ascended until his head and shoulders were in the room.

It was a bedroom, the same size as the other rooms he had been in. A single bed stood aslant against one wall, its bedcovers long disintegrated into a cobweb of frail strands. Where the window should have been, a great hole gaped in the wall, allowing in soft wisps of fog and the glow from the lamp-posts. Zero clutched his coat tighter to his chest with one hand and climbed into the room. The Level End was not here.

He looked down. The fog prevented a clear view of the grounds beneath him, a dozen meters below, but he did not think it would slow his fall very much if he should slip from the ledge.

There was really no question of turning back, however. Not this close.

Treading with care, he stepped out on to the ledge, testing its stability by steadily applying his weight until he was certain it would not crumble. His gun in his right hand, his left trailing along the wall from the safety of the hole and began to shuffle along the ledge. Beneath his feet there was scarcely twenty centimeters of granite and mortar holding him aloft.

The enemy came for him halfway there. He was deeply intent on keeping himself from falling that he was a moment too slow in raising his gun. A dark, scrawny shape, a flash of insane crimson eyes and then the roar of his firearm and the terrifying sensation of weightlessness as he knew his balance had failed him. For a moment that stretched into eternity, he hung above the fatal plunge to the street below; and then he fell.

His hand snapped out, instinct driving him faster than thought, and before his rational mind had caught up, he had already grabbed the ledge with one hand. The jolt as his shoulder took his weight almost tore his muscles there, but it was enough to make him swing round so that his other hand could grab the ledge too. Before he knew what had happened, he was holding on for his life above the fog-shrouded grounds.

The female vampire cursed herself as she seemed to have sustained an injury and she disappeared into the building once more, knocking something over as she ran down the stairs, intent only on escape.

Zero barely had time to feel the shock of his brush with death; he was already pulling himself up, cursing, his wiry but strong muscles lifting his light frame with ease. One knee, then another, and he got to his feet, shuffling hurriedly back along the ledge. He drew back the gun by the chain connecting it to his coat as he reached the door that admitted him back to the upper floor of the derelict building. He had hit the vampire but it was a light shot. He would not let it run again.

-Zero-

The scent of my blood came about in the air. No doubt it would attract the damned vampire.

I tighten my fist and lift it in front of my face. Through my almost silver eyes, I watch the blood squeeze through my fingers. The skin is cut deep in a few places, torn by the jagged ledge. It was deeper than I thought. Some drops fell to the dust covered floor. This was nothing at all. I sighed as I concentrated in tracking down the last Level E in this place, the one that attacked me. The cut in my hand began to heal in an alarming rate and in a few minutes, there was no mark that I was injured. My pale skin remained unmarked.

Suddenly, I found where the enemy was.

My caution forgotten in my haste, I ran across the room and slid down the ladder, blundering through the darkness in pursuit of my target. Down the stairs, towards the door that had been left often by the vampire I am currently chasing.

There was only a moments notice when the Level E crashed into me, chest high, and I was knocked flat on my back. My head thudded against the concrete floor, sending a bright pillar of pain shooting into my brain. The crazed vampire landed on me, straddling my waist, the awful smile plastered on her face. I saw Kaito grab for her neck with his gloved hands, but she swung an arm and sent him sprawling backward. The back of his legs collided with one of the old desks, and he went over it, his head smacking hard on the ground. I saw all of this happen through a thick fog of pain, my eyes were trying to close despite the deafening high-pitched sound ringing through my head.

My eyes widened in surprise as it bore me down to the floor, I struggled beneath her grasp; but she attacked in frenzy, and was too wild for me to find the chance to escape. My right forearm blazed from a deep scratch, and I ached from the numerous other bruises that had been inflicted in the struggle. I couldn't get my muscles to work as the Level E bore down its weight upon me.

The girl lunged forward, opened her mouth, exposing glistening white fangs, and then buried her face into my neck. A searing pain lit up in my neck as she bit into my artery. I felt a sudden ache tear through me as the blood was sucked from my veins. I gasped, more surprised than scared, and forgot to fight back. The vampire pulled away. I suddenly felt very dizzy and wondered briefly if that was an effect of being drunk from so deeply.

Before I could retaliate, she sat up and placed her hands around my throat, cutting off the air supply to my lungs. I looked up dimly at the damned vampire that was slowly killing me. _Was this the end?_ She was bleeding again, dark red sports on the clothes she wore, a result of my attack from earlier. She was howling and screaming and tightening her grip on my neck with every passing second.

I could hear voices yelling from a long way away, and I saw two more figures – I couldn't make out their features but I was sure they were the back up from the Association – grab the girl and try to pull her off me. Both were sent sprawling by casual flicks of the girl's left arm, which left my throat for a millisecond before returning to exert its deadly pressure.

"Someone fucking shoot her before she murders Kiryuu!" I heard someone shout in a voice that sounded like it was coming from underwater, and it was followed by a series of loud cracks, like fireworks.

The vampire bucked and jolted, and blood soaked her clothes more, some of it landing on my face in a fine mist. But still she did not release her grip.

My head was pounding, my vision darkening, my chest burning. I needed air now, or it would be too late. But maybe this would be better. If I die, I wouldn't have to feel anymore pain. As I felt my eyes beginning to close, something dark flew across my narrowing field of vision. There was a loud crunching sound, and suddenly, blissfully, the horrible pressure on my throat was gone. I opened my mouth and took a giant breath of air, coughing and sputtering all the while. My chest was screaming and my pounding head was thrown back as oxygen flooded into my desperate lungs.

The vampire tried to lunge for me again but she was blown away by a strong force and she crashed to the opposite wall with a sickening crack.

There was a volley of shots once again and the vampire's body fell with a loud thud on the ground and stained the floor crimson with her blood. Just like all vampires even me, her body would turn into dust after some time.

Looks like my mission is over.

But the thing I can't wrap my mind around is why _he_ was here? I just lay there at the floor in stunned surprise as I tried to catch through the blur of events. I didn't need to see him to know that he was here in this place. After the times I spent in his presence, I know it like the back of my hand. I tried to contain my feelings because I know that it wouldn't matter. This person wasn't here for me. Maybe this was a joint mission and I missed that part in the mission statement.

"Here," Kaito said as he offered me a hand up. "I've got your katana, by the way. I'll hold on to it until we get back."

I took his hand and stood up. I brushed my coat of the dust that settled on it with the struggle earlier. I covered my injured arm with my other hand and did my best to ignore the pureblood right in front of me.

_Damn it!_

I cursed myself as I realized that I just screwed up. I was quite careless and this was the result. The Level E's were equipped with poison and I was not only scratched deeply, I was bitten badly by one. Being a vampire as well, it wouldn't kill me. Probably. I could feel the effects and I only willed myself to keep on standing and act normal. I can do this. There was no way I'm going to show how weak I am.

"Have you gotten weaker, _Kiryuu?_ You shouldn't have dropped your guard down earlier," Kaname told me and though I didn't look at him, I know that he is staring fixedly at me.

I see that we're back to last names. Figures.

I didn't know why I expected things to be back to normal after what he did to me. At least this time, I understand that there is no going back. He and I are already over. I should just accept that fact for good.

I didn't offer him a reply and instead walked past him, I only caught a glimpse of his black coat and the silver cross that bounced on his wrist. That cross. It was the same one as I wore on my neck all the time. I reached inside my coat and clutched the pendant. Why was Kaname still wearing that?

I've imagined a lot of scenarios over the last four years. Most of them versions of this all being some kind of huge mistake, a giant misunderstanding. And a lot of my fantasies involve the ways in which Kaname asks for my forgiveness. Apologizes for returning my love with the cruelty of his damned silence. For acting as though the year and a half of my life – those year and a half of _our_ lives – amount to nothing. But I always stop short of the fantasy of him apologizing for leaving. Because even though he might not know it, he just did what I told myself he could do.

I guess I brought this upon myself.

I closed my eyes as a wave of pain came through me. There was no way in hell I'm going to lose my consciousness here of all places. I didn't want to be vulnerable. Not again.

Kaname followed me out of the building and I did my best to ignore his presence. There was no way I'm going to run back to him after all these years. I pushed myself to walk even though I was having some difficulty in breathing properly. I know it must be because of the Level E's poison. Kaito must've noticed something was wrong.

Kaito cursed under his breath and muttered about me not taking properly of myself. "Come on, we should hurry back to the Association and get you to the hospital wing," he told me seriously.

I couldn't look at Kaname in the eye as all of us headed out of the building. I kept my arm firmly on my wound to hide the fact that it was starting to heal in an abnormal rate. I didn't need to freak out the other new recruits by showing them how unnatural I was. I know that in a few seconds, my skin would not show any evidence of what had occurred earlier on.

_Why did you have to appear before me now? Why did you have to show yourself to me after all these years? Why did you have to save me when all I wanted was to die?_

_Why did you abandon me, Kaname?_

There were so many questions but I was afraid to ask any of them. I know that I'm afraid that if he answered it, it would give me the sense of finality. That everything I hoped for was never going to come true. I am so filled by many contradictions and confusions.

I tried to clear my blurring vision but it didn't work at all and the pain I felt intensified. After a few seconds I couldn't see anything clearly and couldn't feel anything. I was slowly being swallowed by the darkness. In the haze that settled in my own mind, I thought I heard Kaito shouting my name and before everything went black, I wondered if I was imagining seeing Kaname's eyes widen in surprise and worry.

Because there was no way, Kaname would worry about me. After everything that happened, I was nothing more than a fling for him. Maybe I should let go.

_Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest thing. Unfurl your fingers one by one until your hand is open. But my hand has been clenched into a fist for four years now; it's frozen shut. All of me is frozen. And I'm about to shut down completely._

**-chapter one end-**


	2. Lost Without You

**A/N: **_I wanted to say thank you very much to everyone who reviewed the very first chapter of Destiny's People. I had a lot of fun reading the very loooong reviews. Some of you even suggested some things to me and I may put those suggestions later on in the chapters. This is actually my first time writing this type of story and I'm glad that you guys liked this. I would also like to thank those who've added this to their favorites and alerts list. =)_

_I never expected to write another long chapter sooner than expected but since everyone inspired me with their reviews, I couldn't resist putting my ideas into action. =) Well then, here's chapter two of the story and I hope you would like this as well._

_Please Read and Review… XD_

* * *

><p><strong>Destiny's People<strong>

**Chapter Two – Lost Without You**

**-Kaito-**

_Fucking hell!_

I couldn't help cursing mentally as I felt an extreme headache shoot through my skull. That damned level E vampire really did a huge number on me. My head feels like it would literally explode from the pain. I suppose that it was my fault in the first place. A lapse in proper judgment if I could call it that. I should've used my anti-vampire weapon instead of rushing headlong to the enemy bare-handed. God, I'm such an _idiot!_ It's as if everything I learned as a vampire hunter went down the drain in that moment.

_Crap… _

If Yagari-sensei learns about this mistake, he is going to be so pissed with me. I shifted in my seat as I thought of ways to get out of the impending argument. I suppose I could tell him the truth that I panicked when I saw what that vampire was doing to Zero, though I have a nagging feeling it would only backfire and make him angrier with me. I could almost picture him glaring at me and telling me that a hunter must always remain calm and so on and so forth.

I sighed in resignation, knowing there was no way out of the situation.

The good thing is at least I'm not the only one who's going to be given a talking-to once this whole mess is over. Half of it _was_ Zero's fault in the first place.

I have to admit that it was really taxing to keep myself conscious from this point on after the hard hit on the head I suffered. I leaned back at the wall as I remembered what happened.

The doctor already examined me and saw no serious injury. Just a bump on the head and a headache that would be cured by getting some rest. But I knew that I couldn't leave my partner hanging. I couldn't go home and just forget what happened to Zero. I managed to catch him in time before he hurt himself by falling head first to the floor. But his condition worried me terribly. I plan on staying here until I am quite sure that he is going to be just fine.

I stood up from my seat, feeling quite restless for the past few minutes. It had been almost an hour since we came to the hospital. There is no worry about answering questions since the place is part of the association and the medical staff were fully briefed and trained to handle situations regarding vampires and hunters. I usually came here to accompany Zero for his appointment with his personal doctor. I overheard them talking about some counseling and medication for his depression.

Aside from being so detached and depressed. That damned guy, from time and time again, had also proven to me how suicidal he is. We had been partners for quite a while and I believe that I know Zero better than any of the other hunters in the Hunter's Association. It was one of the main reasons why I constantly refused pairing with someone else or Zero pairing with someone else for that matter.

Some may think of me as having a _thing_ for Zero. But, seriously, it isn't the reason why. That guy is my best friend and he's the most reliable person I've ever met in this place. Zero even reminds me somewhat of my late brother. Anyway, I didn't want those single-minded assholes partnered with him. Not when I am a hundred and one percent sure that they would watch over Zero's back just as I have done for almost four years now. Being a vampire and hunter at the same time had its ups and downs. I can't even imagine what its like for Zero, standing at the middle of it. What pains and sadness that guy is going through all the time.

It was hard to picture my partner as a vampire though but it was a fact that I couldn't deny. I forced myself once to take a good look: the gleaming teeth, the hungry, feral look that had crept into his crimson eyes, the way the muscles in his pale face contorted as he tried to overcome his bloodlust. I knew that he didn't like me or anyone to see it, but I needed to. I needed to remember so that I could protect myself – and him.

I guess I was thinking recently that I could also redeem myself by helping Zero. After all, I never did manage to help my own brother. In a way, I felt that doing so would bring me closure from that incident once and for all.

At first though, I did it out of respect and duty. Yagari-sensei. The man I had looked up to and my former teacher asked me for this huge favor. It seemed to me that he also knew what was wrong with Zero. I didn't like it at first, thinking it was a bothersome duty and the fact that Zero is a vampire only made it worse. I haven't gotten over much about the incident with my family. And my upbringing as a hunter pretty much forced me to be completely biased regarding that simple fact.

But I guess that things really do change in time.

Before I knew it, I found myself doing this job because I _wanted_ to. It wasn't out of duty anymore; I did it out of my own free will. I like being around Zero despite that guy's coldness and indifference. I like hanging out with him even though it was only an evening in the apartment spent in silence. I like to go out on a mission with him, knowing he always has my back guarded. I could list a number of things I like doing with Zero and I know that it would be a very long one.

Seems like I've gotten _too_ attached to that guy.

As I waited patiently for the doctor's report about my partner, my attachment to him caused my insides to boil at the mere presence of the fucking asshole a few seats away from me. I know what that guy did four years ago; I'm not as stupid as the others to not see the connection between him and my partner.

Pretending as a teacher at Cross Academy ensured that I was in close proximity to Zero who was at that time a student there. Even though Kuran was gone by the time I started working, I managed to see the connections. There was a deeper bond there than just mere friendship. Just looking at Zero's rare expressions whenever Kuran's name pops up is enough for me to confirm my suspicions.

Zero never talked about this certain topic and his feelings for that matter, so I know little of the bigger picture. I only knew from Yagari-sensei and Cross-san that this _pureblood_ left so suddenly and not even Zero knew why. I had a feeling that this unanswered question was eating my partner deep inside and slowly killing his will to live.

That is why being in this particular vampire's presence is unbearable. I had to resist my urge to punch this vampire and beat him to the ground for what he did. Whatever reasons he had didn't give him a right to leave Zero like that. If it was me, I wouldn't do that to someone I cared about. I would never be able to stomach the fact that I would bring anyone into so much pain and confusion.

_Why did you do it you fucking vampire bastard? Why?_

I was so focused on my thoughts that I failed to notice that the doctor had been trying to get my attention for a few minutes now. I muttered an apology and asked him about my partner's condition.

"Mr. Kiryuu is going to be just fine despite the fever caused by the poison," the doctor told me and I breathed a sigh of relief. "He can be released as soon as he wakes up. Though I would advise you to please make sure that he rests properly. If he has a new mission I suggest that he let others handle it for a while."

"Is it okay for visitors to see him then?" I ask immediately.

"Of course, there is no problem with that," the doctor tells me kindly as he directs me to the room where Zero is. "I would be back later on to check his condition."

I nodded in response before he walked away to attend to the other patients in the facility. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Kaname Kuran also leaving. I don't know why but somehow, the action pissed me off.

Before I knew it, I was following him to the parking lot. Intent on giving him a piece of my mind.

"Wait!" I shouted. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to face me, his expression neutral as always. I glared at him and I saw surprise flit across his features for a second. I knew that it must be because I didn't show any ounce of respect for him. Frankly, I don't give a jot if he's a pureblood or not. I guess that it's something I have in common with Yagari-sensei and Zero.

"Is there something you need from me?" he asks me formally.

The question only made me angrier.

"Are you going to leave without even visiting Zero or even wait for him to regain consciousness?" I asked in a barely-controlled tone. "Because if I remember correctly, Zero is your _friend._ And friends don't just up and leave all of sudden."

"He is well, is he not?" he tells me. "Therefore, I don't see any reason for me to stay any longer. I am terribly busy and you are holding me up," he continues in the same formal tone.

I clenched my fists at my side. I cannot believe that this guy would say something like this. Did he ever care for Zero at all? I knew that the right thing to do is to walk away. I knew that is what I am supposed to do. I know that I am making a scene and starting a fight from out of nowhere. But when Kuran just acted like Zero didn't matter and started to leave again. I felt so mad, and so – useless. I wanted to stop myself from doing this, but I couldn't quit. "Don't fuck with me, you asshole," I said angrily.

He stared at me with a little irritation present in his garnet colored orbs.

"You and Zero might've shared something in the past but I can see now that it doesn't matter to you anymore," I said bitterly. "I should've known what kind of assholes you purebloods are. Always using others for your own needs and then throwing them away when you have no use for them anymore. I should've known better than to think you're different from all the others."

His eyes flashed dangerously but I didn't back out. I am not afraid. I wasn't the same person I was before.

"I won't let you hurt him anymore," I continued more determinedly and I felt satisfied to know that I seemed to hit a nerve. His irritation turned to anger in that one instant. That fact made me glad for some reason because I saw that this pureblood wasn't as indifferent to the matter as I perceived.

"What gives you the right to question me about my own actions?" he tells me coldly.

I already had an answer to that. "Since I know the person you're playing with."

"I am playing no one and you should know better than to think that your _friend_ and I share something intimate," he replies in the same cold voice.

It really pissed me off. He was full of shit. He liked Zero. He more than liked Zero. But Kuran couldn't admit it, wouldn't man up. He would never be that guy, the kind of guy Zero needed now of all times. Someone who would be there for him, someone he could count on. With all of the things happening all at once, I know that my partner needed someone to be there.

The association is in disarray since the Rido Incident and right now, things are hectic enough as it is. I couldn't remember how many missions Zero and I went through for the past four years. Level ends had been appearing here and there on a daily basis and the main perpetrator is still hiding in the shadows. It was a very tiring job to say the least. Adding to that, Zero is a primary candidate to be the next association president. Something that I'm sure he did not want. Nor he ever expected.

All in all, I think that his daily life is all about fighting and hunting vampires.

It was a life that I didn't want for him.

_He deserves better._

The thing I really don't understand is why I'm doing this. I somehow wanted Kuran to prove to me that he still cared about my partner. That whatever they had in the past still mattered. I wanted Kuran to admit that his actions were stupid and that leaving was never the proper solution. I wanted to finally bring an end to this little game.

_If I had to pick a fight with a pureblood, then so be it._

"I see. Then that makes things much easier for me," I told him seriously. After this, I know that there is no turning back. Nothing will ever be the same again.

I saw a hint of confusion present in Kuran's features.

"You're not the only person in this world who cares deeply about Zero Kiryuu," I told him in the same tone of voice. "If you're going to be like this, always running away from things. Then it would fairly easy for me to erase all traces of your memories in Zero. You won't be the person in his heart anymore, Kuran," I continued as though challenging him.

Gazing deeply into his eyes, I declared, "I'll take your place and I'll make sure of that."

Before he walked away, I saw a hint of emotion in his otherwise neutral eyes. I know then that he was going to think deeply about this. Whatever actions this pureblood would do, I would find out later on. I smirked as I contemplated about this.

I turned back to the hospital to check up on Zero.

_Prove to me that your feelings are real, Kaname Kuran._

_Prove it to me and Zero…_

**-xxXxxXxx-**

**-Zero- **

I woke up shortly before dawn. I raised my groggy head from the pillow and saw an IV drip running down to a needle that had been placed in my forearm. I didn't remember its insertion; didn't remember much of how the previous day had ended, after the level E had attacked me in the building and my meeting with Kaname. Somehow, everything was jumbled up inside my head and I couldn't make out the details. The only thing I could grasp in my confusion is the feeling of sadness and longing.

I pushed back the sheets and blankets and swung my legs off the bed. I was wearing the same clothes from yesterday minus the coat and hat. I was scanning the room for my other clothes when a wave of nausea rolled through me, and I thought for a horrible second that I was going to vomit. My throat hurt and it was painful to breathe.

I raised a hand to my neck, felt a swollen ridge of flesh tender to the touch, and winced. I closed my eyes and lowered my head between my knees, and after a minute or two, the sick feeling passed. I was about to get down from the bed when the door at the end of the room opened and a doctor walked briskly into the infirmary.

The doctor had a kind smile and he briefed me about what happened since the time I was admitted in the hospital. It seems that someone is waiting for me to regain consciousness since last night and judging from the doctor's description, I figured that it was Kaito. I felt a sudden rush of affection for him. Nostalgia, a shared history, counted for a lot. More than I'd realized. Seems that my friendship with Kaito had helped me a bit throughout all these painful years.

The doctor finally examined my bruised throat, pricked my finger and drew blood, shone a small flashlight in my eyes, then slid the needle out of my arm and pronounced me much improved than yesterday. He advised me to take a break from my next missions and to get plenty of rest when I get home. I nodded in response before standing up to take my leave.

I slid the coat back on and placed the Gatsby cap on my head. I murmured a soft thanks before heading out of the door. The first person I see outside is Kaito Takamiya. He was also wearing the same clothes as yesterday which only meant that he had been here since last night.

"Let's head back to your apartment, Zero," Kaito told me with a smile.

I nodded in affirmation. I never did like to talk much and Kaito understood how much I preferred the silence.

"By the way, I'm staying over your place tonight," he added as he walked ahead of me.

"Keeping an eye on me again?" I asked. This kind of thing had happened a lot over the years so it didn't bother me too much that he was going to stay over again. Kaito already seemed like a roommate, considering the amount of time that guy spends at my place.

"You're the type of person who works himself too much without any regard whatsoever to his own health," he replied without missing a beat. "Just here to make sure you follow the doctor's instructions."

The rest of the walk passed in silence as Kaito led me to the parking lot. It looked like he managed to borrow a vehicle from the association. I spotted a familiar plain silver Sedan in the distance. He climbed in the driver's seat while I took the passenger's seat. Kaito then turns the ignition. He puts the car in gear and drives through the empty parking lot, heading for the street.

I close my eyes as I felt the pain from my fever returning.

Now that I am awake though, I'm left with all these confusing thoughts. Despite not wanting to remember, I can't stop it. No matter how hard I tried, Kaname is always in my mind.

Just when I finally forced myself to accept the fact that he's never coming back to me, he showed up unexpectedly. He saved me even when all I wanted was to fade away completely. Isn't it enough that I suffered for four years? Isn't it enough that he shattered my heart and soul so easily? What I couldn't accept is that maybe he didn't really love me. That I am an idiot for thinking that a pureblood would care for someone like me.

Once again, he left as soon as he had come. Leaving me with all these questions and confusions. I had gotten used to it after all these years of trying to know where the hell he is. But I never managed to catch a glimpse of him. He always avoided me and I can't help but feel so miserable. I supposed that last night during the mission was the first time I ever saw him since he left me.

And I never imagined that seeing Kaname again would be so painful.

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself looking out of a window at a dark forest, the trees blurring as they passed by, and water tumbling from the sky in sheets. I was surprised to see that it was raining. I guess that I must've been so deep in my thoughts that I failed to notice anything else. I turned my head to Kaito and saw that he was also thinking deeply about something.

Looking back at things, Kaname and I were too different. Maybe I should've known better than to think that everything will work out between us.

The thing I can't wrap my head around is _how_ he did it. I've never dumped anyone with such brutality. He and I had been together for almost two years, and yes, it was a high school romance, but it was still the kind of romance where I thought we were trying to find a way to make it forever, the kind that, had we met four years later and had he not been some pureblood vampire – or had our lives not been ripped apart by all the events surrounding us – I was pretty sure it would've been.

I sighed to myself and from the corner of my eye I saw Kaito gaze at me worriedly.

I couldn't even be fully mad at Kaname, because this was who he was. This was who he'd always been. He'd never lied to me about that. He gave and then he took away. I felt it in the pit of my stomach, the familiar ache, that lost, regretful feeling only he could give me. I never wanted to feel it again. Never, ever. Maybe this was why I wanted to see him again.

So I could really know.

So I could say _good-bye_ once and for all.

"You've been too quiet lately," Kaito remarked from out of nowhere and I was suddenly jolted away from my previous thoughts. "Anything bothering you?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Nothing's wrong," I replied tonelessly.

Kaito had a knowing look in his features. "It's Kuran, isn't it?" the way he said it made it more like a statement than a question.

I felt irritation spear through me. "Why does every time I act differently, everyone always assumes that it's because of that bastard? My world doesn't revolve around that asshole after all," I told him coldly.

Kaito sighed. "You and I both know that you're only lying," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "After all these years, that pureblood is still in your mind. Tell me, Zero, what happened between you and Kuran? I can't help you if I have no freaking idea what is going on."

I looked away as I contemplated whether I would share my inner turmoil with Kaito. I'm quite used to dealing with things on my own and I'm normally a private person. I don't know how to tell Kaito about what I am thinking. A part of me is scared of letting another person get so close to me.

How many times have I been betrayed in this lifetime?

I knew that I couldn't afford that once again. I know that my heart cannot take anymore of this. It had been broken so many times and should it happen again, I know that I can never pick up the pieces. No matter how hard I try to be strong, to move on. It would be useless. I just realized that I am slowly reaching my limit. After all, there is only so much one person can take.

"There's nothing between _us._ There never was and never will," I said bitterly. I closed my eyes again and tell myself that it was the truth. Even though it hurts like hell. Even though there's a gnawing ache inside of me that gets bigger with each breath.

"I'm here to listen once you're ready to talk," Kaito tells me and after that, silence descends once more.

A few hours later, I find myself lying down on my bed wide awake with Kaito sleeping on the couch in the living room. I was busy thinking about everything that happened when I heard Kaito snoring lightly. If I was a normal human, I wouldn't have heard it. For some reason, it really annoyed me. Kaito had always been able to fall asleep at will, as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out.

I really think that Kaito's lucky he wasn't loosing any sleep over everything that has been happening lately.

I couldn't sleep. My head was too full of things to think about. What did it mean? For Kaname to appear to me after all these damn years. It might mean nothing at all and I felt somewhat stupid for getting my hopes up.

I never really understood why of all people I fell in love with that bastard. Before I knew it, I needed him more than I had ever known. For the first time in a long time, I was connecting – connected – with another person from school. How in the world was I alone? Because I wanted it to be. It's all make sense to me. How many times had I let myself connect with someone only to have it thrown back in my face? Everything seemed good after I learned that he loved me, but I knew it had the potential to be awful. Much, much more painful than the others.

Turns out I was right.

They say that emotional pain is difficult to quantify. It is in my experience that emotional pain is sometimes worse than physical pain.

If I had the choice between being stabbed or Kaname leaving me again, the knife has the advantage, because if the knife kills me, I stop hurting. If it doesn't kill me, the wound I suffered will heal. Either way the pain stops. But no matter what I do, Kaname is never coming back. And I can't imagine that the pain in my heart will ever go away.

I closed my eyes and pull the blanket over my head. I curled in the sheets, forcing myself to finally get some sleep.

'_You're the only person I love and I promise that I will watch over you forever.'_

'_Trust me to always guard your back in battle. I will protect you.'_

'_I love you, Zero.'_

Empty words. His promises and vows to me had all been nothing. The tiniest rebel teardrops formed in the edges of my eyes and I angrily swatted them away. I knew he was going to turn my world upside down. My brain warned me, but my heart didn't want to take its advice.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

**-Normal-**

The sun had vanished completely behind the horizon and the dark came down like a sudden rain as Zero pulled the car over in front of another abandoned office building. It had only been three days since the last mission and he could remember Kaito protesting vehemently about accepting this one. He hasn't recovered fully from his last injury but he was getting quite restless staying at the apartment for the last few days.

He gazed blankly at the structure in front of him and he hoped that he wouldn't need to exert himself too much and end up extending his vacation time. He really had enough of staying in bed all the time. Aside from that, hunting rogue vampires seemed to take his mind of thoughts of that pureblood.

He sighed deeply as he put aside his unwanted thoughts and opened the door, stepping out of the usual silver Sedan. He watched as Kaito also climbed out and the two of them prepared the usual hunting gear.

Kaito tucked his gun and the assorted silver knives in his jacket. He turned on the earpiece while Zero busied himself with reloading Bloody Rose and looping the belt which held Ichiru's katana to his waist.

"The mission this time is to eliminate the level E's in the vicinity," Kaito said as he went over the mission given to them. "There are also rumors of a mysterious drug going around that enhances a vampire's strength to unknown levels that we need to investigate while we're at it," he added as he watched Zero placing the communicator on his ear.

"The Noir Drug?"

"Yeah, that one. Just as the name suggests, the user's blood turn into a deep shade of black. We haven't encountered a vampire who used it before but the other hunters who did mentioned that the vampire was different. Though how different, I have no idea."

"It doesn't matter whether they're different or not, it doesn't change anything. They need to be eliminated. That is all that matters in this mission."

"I know that already, Zero. Jeez, it doesn't hurt to think about these minor details once in a while," Kaito said exasperatedly.

"Are you ready to start the mission?" Zero asked as he tucked his silver hair under the black Gatsby hat he usually wore while hunting rogue vampires.

"Let's get this show on the road," Kaito replied with a shrug as he walked ahead of Zero and entered the building quietly.

The place was in ruins and it had been left alone for a very long time. The first floor looked bleak and there were various broken furniture's and office equipments lying about. Cobwebs had built all over and dust had accumulated from all the years this place was abandoned. Kaito found it weird that their footsteps seemed to echo so loudly and the lack of other sounds only meant that the rogue vampires already knew of their arrival. They were lying in wait it seemed. It wouldn't come to him as a surprise if he and Zero were ambushed any second now. He gripped one of the knives on his belt.

As they passed by one of the rooms, Kaito's attention was drawn to the anti-vampire weapon Zero brought for this battle. It was a sword. Or a katana to be exact. For the last few years, his partner was the only hunter he saw with that kind of weapon. Most of the vampire hunters these days used guns or long-ranged weapons in missions.

He was also aware that Zero brought Bloody Rose but his partner hardly ever used it even though it was one of the few most powerful anti-vampire weapons created. He wondered why Zero preferred the katana over that gun.

Zero was unaware of Kaito's scrutiny as he walked deeper into the enemy's den. He was focused on the number of presences that were heading their direction in a swift manner. There were definitely a number of level E's inside the building. He also noticed that there was something distorted in the aura of one or two of the rogue vampires. He stopped in his tracks and so did his partner. He closed his eyes in concentration and expanded his senses. There was a scent of fresh human blood in the air and he realized that humans were killed just recently in this place. He hated that knowledge and swore to himself that he would complete this mission no matter what. He opened his eyes and gazed at Kaito.

"Should we deal with them here?" Zero asked immediately.

Kaito nodded. "I'll let you handle the ones heading our way," he said as he walked a few yards away from where Zero stood.

"Reason?"

"None as far as I can see."

Zero tilted his head in confusion. "You're being weirder than usual."

"That hurts," Kaito said with a smile. "Can I ask you a question?" he added.

Zero didn't reply but his attention was still on his partner.

"Are you sure that you would be able to handle things alone, Zero?" Kaito asked with a bit of teasing and he saw Zero's eyes flash some emotion at him for that. He was still smiling as he leaned on the wall, keeping his eyes trained on his partner.

"I am quite sure of that," Zero replied as he turned his gaze away from Kaito and focused his attention back at the wide corridor in front of him. "You should really stop teasing me at times like these," he added after a while.

Kaito watched as Zero turned his back on him and he wondered what his partner would do now. He took note of the animalistic growls coming from the corridor ahead of them. There were also noises like claws scraping the walls as the rogue vampires moved nearer to them. The sound was closer now and he saw sure that their enemies would be here any second.

He noticed that Zero was pulling the blade from its scabbard and the bright flash of silver permeated through the gloom of the place. Just as he had always known, the katana was very beautiful and impressive. There were some symbols etched in its surface and he realized that Zero had inscribed powerful charms within the blade.

It was previously owned by Ichiru and it was very like Zero to keep it as a memento. Ever since they were kids, the twins had been so close with each other. He remembered the times that his partner used to pick a fight with him because he was always teasing Ichiru. The two were inseparable and he felt angry that it only took one pureblood to ruin it all. Kaito understood how much Zero loved his twin despite the fact that Ichiru had betrayed on so many occasions.

_How long can you keep this up, Zero? How many times can you stomach being betrayed by those closest to you? _Kaito thought darkly as he looked back on the things that happened in the last few years.

The various sounds echoed through the silence.

Kaito was somehow taken by surprise as Zero swung the blade in a diagonal arc in the blink of an eye. There was a faint thud as the body of a fallen vampire descended on the ground. Blood oozed from its torn form and it stained the place in a bright crimson. There were splatters of blood on the walls and ceilings from the arc of the swing. A few seconds later, the body disintegrated to ashes.

_Looks like the vampires in this place were not using the drug,_ he observed instantly.

He watched as Zero shifted the direction of the sword swiftly in a horizontal pattern and sent another rogue vampire into its demise. It continued on as Zero alternated between dodging and attacking his enemies. He was a little amazed at the way his partner handled those numbers without breaking a sweat. Zero's skill with the sword was great and he was wrong in thinking that Ichiru more talented than his twin in using this type of weapon.

He smirked as he realized how wrong the Hunter's Association was in thinking that Zero wouldn't be able to keep doing his job. Earlier on, the higher-ups even thought that his partner should've died together with his family. But they were wrong. Zero was stronger than they ever imagined. Not just physically but mentally as well. He had to admit that he never met an ex-human who could hold their vampire natures at bay. It took a lot of willpower and that made him respect this partner.

Looking at the way Zero fought, he knew that his partner was very talented. As he watched the battle in front of him, he saw that the other hunters were right in making Zero as one of the primary candidates for the position of the president. Although it was rather perplexing to see no emotion pass through his partner's features. Well, he reasoned that Zero had always bordered on the emotionless side of things.

Kaito walked over to Zero who sheathed his katana back to its scabbard. Blood was everywhere but the bodies of the level ends were nowhere to be seen. In its place were piles of ashes instead. He stopped in front of his partner, uncaring if his own shoes were getting soaked in blood. He vaguely noted if Zero felt something after doing this. He could never believe that Zero didn't feel anything at all. No one should be okay with doing something like this.

Even he was not that bloodthirsty and he certainly didn't enjoy hunting vampires. He was just doing a job that protected others from the darkness of their world.

_Is my being a vampire hunter the main reason that Kaname left? Or because I am nothing more than an ex-human in their society?_

Zero thought as he looked down at the puddle of blood that gathered around him. He was thankful that he decided to down blood tablets before going on this mission. Otherwise, he would have another bout of bloodlust.

_Once again, blood had been shed because of me… _

How many times had he been doing this kind of thing? This kind of job? He knew that the other hunter wouldn't think any differently on this matter since all of them were raised in this kind of environment. He couldn't show any mercy to the enemy and the only thing he could do was give those fallen vampires peace by killing them. He learned this fact the hard way when he was still a kid. He still remembered that it was his fault that Yagari-sensei lost his eye trying to protect him from that vampire. It happened years ago but he could still picture it clearly.

Contrary to what everyone else believed, he did feel an ounce of regret and sadness for these beings. Those who had been cursed into an existence that lived solely to satisfy their intense need for blood and unable to control that ingrained instinct. He knew that without everyone else's help; he would've turned into one of those fallen vampires.

"You really were serious when you said you could handle those alone," Kaito remarked as he approached Zero.

"Since when have I not been serious, Kaito," Zero replied dryly.

"Good point," Kaito said before his face turned serious. "Can you feel it as well? One of the vampire's in this place has a different aura."

Zero nodded. There were a few more level E's deeper into the building and there was one with a very weird signature in his senses. It was a level end but he had never encountered one with such a vile and dangerous aura.

With those said the two of them headed further through the dark corridors. Zero found a set of stairs and together they ascended it towards the second floor of the building. He felt a few remaining level ends in this floor and he shared a glance with Kaito who noticed the auras as well. _Still no sign of the drug-induced vampires,_ he thought as he watched Kaito pull out one of his daggers. He felt the charms embedded on the weapon flare into life.

Zero held the hilt of his own weapon, ready to draw it in a moment's notice. It was quite common for the level ends to ambush their prey in the dark. It was effective on normal humans but hunters were different. More so, someone like him who was already turned. His eyes could see very well in the dark. It was at times like these that he somehow found being an ex-human useful.

Fierce growls echoed in the dark and in a split second, a vampire lunged at him. Before the talons could reach him, he instantly sliced through it with Ichiru's katana. He leveled his blade in front of him in a form of stance he always used and prepared himself to attack.

He maneuvered his katana in a deadly arc and it connected with another rogue vampire's body. He didn't break his concentration as the body thudded to the ground, the blood from its torn flesh staining the floor in a darkened shade of red.

He moved to the right as he avoided a fatal blow to his heart and brought down his blade vertically before the enemy could evade it. Without wasting time, he thrust it forward to another vampire, straight to its chest. Zero was sure that none of the level ends he was fighting felt any pain as he continued with his assault. He only realized recently that he always made sure that he hit the vital areas instantly.

Meanwhile, Kaito was busy deflecting an attack heading straight for him with one of his daggers. He spun around and kicked his enemy in the gut, sending it crashing to the wall. Another went forward and he thrust the blade into its chest without delay. He ducked as another level end tried to slash him with its long talons. He pulled back his left hand in preparation as he swiped the anti-vampire weapon horizontally, making the vampire howl in pain. Not a moment later, he drove the dagger in his right hand straight to its heart. He sidestepped as another went for his back and he pivoted around using his heel and slashed the vampire with the dagger.

Zero was still having that weird feeling that something was going happen when he sliced through the last of the enemy who ambushed him and Kaito. He couldn't explain it well but the faint buzzing in his brain was getting louder and he had the sudden urge to move away from the place he was standing on. He noticed that Kaito was definitely one of the best hunters out there and he could see his partner's strength clearly.

'_If I ever lose myself to the vampire inside of me, I want you to end my life. Shoot me before I hurt the people I care about…'_

He had told Kaito those words the first time they became partners.

'_You don't need to tell me. I'll kill you myself once that time comes.'_

Kaito had said those words back and he couldn't help but feel relieved to know that someone was willing to heed his request. Neither Yuuki, Kaname, nor Chairman Cross had been able to do that. He just couldn't imagine being like the vampires he hunter. He would rather end his life than hurt the people around him.

'_Even if I have to die a thousand deaths, I will find a way to save you.'_

He fisted one of his hands tightly as those words echoed in his mind. With the voice of the one person he wanted to forget.

Kaname…

Suddenly, his senses screamed that something was coming from up above and heading straight for their location.

The ceiling crashed down on them but they evaded easily unlike the other level ends that were caught up in that as well. They looked at the rubble and saw someone standing there. Zero knew it was another level end. As it appeared before them, he realized that the mysterious aura was emanating from this one. He muttered a curse under his breath as he came to that realization.

"The Noir Drug, am I right?" Kaito asked calmly as he gazed at the vampire woman who had her back to them as soon as the rubble had cleared. She had dark brown hair and noticed that she was no older than him or Zero. The clothes she wore were stained red with blood. _Looks like she had just fed from a human,_ he thought. _Judging from the amount, she must've killed whoever that person was._

"Yes. Based from the auras we have been feeling, this level end must've used the drug," Zero replied as he saw the wounds with black blood on the vampire's body. He already knew that this woman must've fallen to this level for a long time. There no shred of humanity left on this person.

"We have no other objective except to kill her," Kaito uttered seriously as he held a dagger in front of him. He saw that Zero did the same with his katana. There was no time to hesitate at all. Killing this woman would entail that there would be less casualties in the future.

"I know," Zero replied, understanding the situation they faced.

The woman turned to look at the two of them and she regarded them with amusement. She looked so normal but they were not fooled. This person wasn't human anymore and would never be one again. "It's such a nice evening, is it not? The view inside this place is the best there is. Humans always loved hanging around places like this when they didn't have anything to do," the woman said pleasantly as she eyed the two mysterious individuals in front of her. "I think I've said too much. You're not here to chat are you? Are you here to kill me?" she asked curiously.

"It depends on what you think we are here for," Zero said calmly as he held the katana tightly and waited for the enemy to make a move. "Have you lost your sanity already? I can see that you've killed so many humans," he added after a while.

"Those people deserved to die. I am merely satisfying my hunger and there is nothing wrong in killing my prey. I didn't do anything wrong at all," the woman said angrily. Her eyes burning with hate at Zero. It seemed that others do not understand what she was trying to say and she was now certain that the two in front of her didn't understand as well.

"Such pathetic reasons," Zero told the vampire coldly. "In the end, you're just acting on those stupid whims and instincts," he added.

"What would you know? You people don't even know anything," the woman said in a venomous tone as her eyes turned completely black. "It doesn't matter anymore. My hunger would not be satisfied until I kill everyone including the both of you," she said as her hands transformed into long talons.

The level end launched an attack but missed as both hunters lunged away. It avoided an attack from Kaito as well as Zero. The attack and defense continued for a while. Zero then delivered a quick slash from his katana and the vampire avoided only to be hit by the dagger Kaito threw.

The vampire growled as she held her bleeding stomach. The two hunters watched as black blood dribbled from the wound. Her face then twisted into a mad smile.

The vampire laughed manically. "You're a vampire as well yet you cannot seem to understand your kind at all," she said as she gazed at Zero pointedly.

"Don't compare me to the likes of you," Zero answered coldly.

The level E wasn't deterred by Zero's response. "Don't you even realize that what I'm doing gives me the greatest feeling ever? I don't understand why some of us prevent ourselves from having this kind of feeling before," she said as her nails began to lengthen abnormally. She pulled a vial from her pocket and drank the dark liquid inside.

_The Noir Drug!_ Zero and Kaito thought simultaneously.

"After everything I did, I can never go back to the way things were," she said mockingly as her features turned more monstrous. "As if I ever wanted to!" She shouted before she licked the dried blood on her fingers.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a vampire," Kaito said coldly as he watched the vampire's sick actions. "Death is the only thing awaiting the likes of you," he added as he noticed Zero narrow his eyes at the scene before him.

The vampire's eyes became more beastly and the vile aura became darker. The being shrieked madly as it charged full speed at the two hunters. They leapt sideways in order to avoid its fierce attack.

Kaito rushed towards the enemy and brought up his dagger. He swung it in an arc and nailed the vampire in its right shoulder as it turned its attention to him. There was a faint sizzling noise as the charm on his weapon made contact with the enemy's flesh. He jumped away moments later as its left arm tried to fling him to the nearest wall. He was overcome with a sense of déjà vu. _Not this time,_ he thought as he rolled away and pulled out his gun. He fired a shot and a high-pitched shriek ensued as the vampire trashed all over the place.

_The drug that vampire used is more powerful than I imagined,_ he thought as the vampire recovered. It gave in to its mad frenzy with an ear-splitting howl. It rushed forward once again in his direction. He saw it coming and he ducked the slash intent on ripping him apart. Too bad he never saw that kick coming. He felt the breath knocked out of his lungs as he hit the wall. He watched in slow motion as the vampire attempted to deliver a finishing blow. He smirked as the vampire's eyes widened in surprise when a sword pierced through its heart. It went down with a sickening thud.

Zero stood right in front of Kaito and held out a hand which the other hunter gladly took. He held the blood-stained sword in a guarded fashion, knowing that there was still another vampire in the area. He noticed that his movement was a little slower than usual. It seems that he still needed more time to recover but at least, he could still keep up with the battle. He ignored the ache building in his temple and focused on the arriving enemy.

He and Kaito jumped away as the new vampire burst it from the floor above them with a punch that shattered the ground upon contact. The attack sent dust and debris all over the place.

"Another one of those drug-induced vampires?" Kaito coughed out as he readied himself to fire in a moment's notice.

"I'm afraid so," Zero replied indifferently.

Kaito's face darkened. "We'll need to investigate this Noir Drug extensively as soon as we head back. Whatever it is, it's making these level ends stronger," he said seriously.

Zero nodded in response as he lowered the silver katana to his right side and shifted on foot forward. He could remember those days when his father or Yagari-sensei took him and Ichiru out to practice sword fighting. He could picture it in his mind's eyes and his body followed those images. He narrowed his now crimson eyes in concentration and this time he didn't fight back the vampire side of him.

_One of the things I learned from Kaname is to somehow accept the fact that I'm also a vampire,_ he thought seriously. _He believed that I would be stronger if I stopped fighting what I've become. Both a vampire and a hunter…_

The lone vampire charged at Zero but he blocked it with his anti-vampire weapon.

He felt the level end's aura darken a notch and the movements became fiercer than before. As if whatever grasp it had in its sanity had gone. He winced as he blocked another blow but the sheer force of it sent him reeling back a few steps. Even with his own vampire strength, this one was physically stronger. The vampire once again attacked and he found an opening in its side. Zero sidestepped and avoided the blow. He brought his hand up and slashed the sword in the enemy's side. An ensuing growl was all he head before the vampire retaliated with a long sweep of its clawed hands. He blocked it but he was pushed back a couple of feet away.

_Too close. Another second and it would have injured me,_ Zero thought as he barely avoided the attack. He felt the familiar aura of Kaname rise within that space of time. _Kaname…_ He closed his eyes as he chose to ignore the fact that the pureblood was nearby. He already understood that he had no place in Kaname's life anymore.

_Maybe this was better for both of us,_ he once again thought as he concentrated on the battle at hand. His personal feelings would only get in the way of the battle and cause him to get injured for the second time this week.

Kaito didn't waste any time as he threw the anti-vampire dagger he was using at the vampire with deathly accuracy. It looked as though it hadn't recovered from the wounds inflicted by the sword. The dagger embedded itself deeply in the monster's ribs.

The two hunters watched the vampire pull out the blade from its body. Kaito knew that the hunter charm placed he placed on the blade would weaken the enemy considerably. Still, it wasn't enough to deter it from trying to finish him and Zero off.

The vampire launched itself unto Zero who was already prepared for the manic assault.

Zero dropped to his knees and slashed at the vampire's chest and across its sides. The movement caused his hat to topple from his head, revealing his unique silver hair. There was some sort of recognition in the vampire's eyes before it collapsed in a spray of blood. It righted itself quickly and leapt into the air, landing thirty feet away from both him and Kaito.

"_It's you_…" the vampire hissed dangerously, its narrowed eyes fixed upon Zero. "_The cursed hunter… You… Capture… To master… Mission…_" The disjointed words the vampire uttered didn't make any sense at all to both Zero and Kaito at first.

Before they could ponder about the words, the vampire turned its back on Zero and rushed towards Kaito with murderous intent.

Kaito saw it coming and he ducked into a roll as the level E swiped its long claws at his head. He jumped to his feet and bounded backward.

Zero hurriedly pulled out his sword as the vampire was distracted by Kaito's quick evasion maneuvers. He swung the katana horizontally with both of his hands, decapitating the vampire before it injured Kaito. The lifeless body fell to the ground in a heap; blood once again stained the floor red. Its torn head rolled over the dirt and its dead eyes registered surprise. He flicked the blade to the side to rid itself of the crimson liquid. He sheathed it afterwards and gazed at his partner's worried eyes.

His free hand unconsciously fisted his shirt as he felt a slight pull in his chest. It wasn't a full blown bloodlust but it was close. He closed his eyes as he breathed deeply and tried to get things under control. It seemed that he had been having attacks like these lately.

_Am I in danger of falling to level E again?_ He thought grimly as his hand wound tighter in his shirt.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when a comforting hand was laid on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and turned around to gaze at Kaito. He gave a slight nod and Kaito dropped his hand back. He sheathed the blade he used in the battle and walked over to where his hat had fallen. He picked it up and placed it at his head immediately.

"Zero?" Kaito uttered uncertainly as he gazed at his partner. He saw the conflicting emotions in Zero's eyes and he knew that it was brought about by the vampire's words from earlier on. "You okay back there?"

"I'm fine, Kaito," Zero answered though he knew that he was lying even to himself. His eyes had already turned back to its normal silver-amethyst hue. He watched the vampire turn into ash and he wished he could have figured more about what the enemy said.

There was no denying the fact that _someone_ was after him. As soon as that vampire saw his silver hair, something changed in its eyes. Like it found what it was looking for. Aside from that, he knew that most vampires referred to him as the cursed hunter. He was the only hunter in existence who possessed strange vampire abilities and who had drank from three powerful purebloods. Only a select few know of this fact and he was wary that whoever ordered those level E's to find him had access to that piece of crucial information.

"Let's head back to the headquarters," Kaito said seriously as he gestured for Zero to follow. "I'm pretty sure that Yagari-sensei and Chairman Cross would want to know about our mission," he continued in the same tone of voice. Despite his calm exterior, he was rather worried about the whole event. Something big is going on in the shadows and somehow, his partner was going to be involved in it.

Zero nodded in response and he gave the place one last look before he departed. Kaname was already gone from the vicinity and he knew better than to assume that the pureblood would show himself. He also understood that this was just the beginning of another battle. He had fought against countless purebloods and he had triumphed against them all. But this time, in the face of another enemy, he would fight alone. This time, Kaname wouldn't be there for him.

'_I always keep my promises, Kaname.'_

'_I know.'_

'_You won't be alone this time.'_

Zero sighed as he remembered that time and pulled his hat lower, shielding his eyes from Kaito's view. He had heard from the others how expressive his eyes were and he was sure that his partner would see the emotion in them right now.

_In my cursed life where I couldn't fulfill any promises I've made, there is still a promise I want to fulfill,_ Zero thought determinedly as he reached through his jacket and held the silver cross in his hand tightly. _My final promise with you, Kaname… Even if you have forgotten it… Even if I had to die in the process… I'll make that promise a reality…_

**_-_chapter 2 end-**


	3. Feelings that won't Reach

**A/N: **_Thank you very much to everyone who reviewed the last update. =) I would also like to thank those who've added this story to their favorites and alerts list. It makes me really glad to read what you guys thought about the chapters and it truly inspires me to continue writing the story._

_I apologize for the long delay in writing this chapter. A lot of things had to be handled in the university so I didn't have much time to sit in front of my laptop to write the story. I remember putting bits and pieces of this chapter on the back of my notebook during break times as well as inside the classroom whenever the lecture gets too boring. Anyway, I finally managed to put everything together and here's chapter 3 which will focus a lot on Zero and Kaname's thoughts as well as their 'first' proper meeting. _

_Please Read and Review… =)_

* * *

><p><strong>Destiny's People<strong>

**Chapter 3 – Feelings that won't Reach**

**-Zero-**

As of this very moment, I am trying my best to avoid making eye contact with Yagari-sensei's accusing glare. For one thing, it will definitely make me feel guiltier than I already am. And I don't need that extra emotional baggage. I had plenty enough already. I've been too plagued with stupid emotions lately that I find it hard to concentrate in my job. Though I know that fact already, I can't seem to erect the barriers I created so many years ago. I can't lock away my feelings at all and it made me wonder countless of times if I had gotten so much _weaker_.

At times like these, I almost forget that I am not a child anymore. Somehow, Yagari-sensei had a way of making me feel like a naïve seven year old again. I easily sensed Kaito's discomfort in the previously tense atmosphere and I can't blame my partner. Most of the hunters I knew in the Hunter's Association can never hold a candle against my teacher's infamous _death glare._

I mentally sighed as I began thinking about how relatively quiet my morning was going until I got called to this office. Seeing Kaito inside with a look that clearly stated he would rather be anywhere else but this office confirmed my suspicions that it was about what took place a few days ago. Frankly, it didn't surprise me. Rumors and news always did travel fast in the association. Yagari-sensei would have known about the incident sooner or later.

He was leaning back on his leather seat with a cigarette between his lips. The desk in front of him is cluttered with stacks of paper and it made me wonder if Yagari-sensei is going to pull another all-nighter. I sincerely hope that he isn't going to drag me into helping him this time. If I was right about why he was very angry, staying in close proximity with him would be an utter hell.

"_Kaito Takamiya… Zero Kiryuu…"_ Yagari-sensei growled as his glare increased tenfold. He then dropped the smoke on the ash tray and kept his searching gaze on me and Kaito.

It was a very well-known fact between everyone who knew my teacher well that whenever he started addressing others by their full names in that particular tone of voice, he is seriously pissed off. Coupled with the glare, I have reason to believe that Kaito and I were in seriously deep shit. It didn't take a genius to figure out why he is angry with the two of us. Particularly me, since I was the one who messed up badly in the mission back then.

It was really unforgettable how closely I came to dying that time. And that bite was the worst of all since it was the first time in four years since a vampire had bitten me. That action definitely brought out unwanted and painful memories but I managed to stop myself halfway from recollecting that painful night. Just like with Kaname Kuran, memories of Shizuka Hiou still plague me from time to time. It was frustrating to realize that some memories stubbornly refuse to be forgotten.

That time also marked Kaname's reappearance into my life. A painful reminder that he doesn't give a damn about me. His words and actions had already proven that fact.

Also, whenever I gaze at the mirror, the reminder is visible on my neck.

Because of my unnaturally pale skin, the bruises and welts from that attempted strangulation is still noticeable. I opted to hide it this time by wearing a scarf around my neck since I noticed just recently that other people, mostly vampire hunters, kept on staring at it. Enough to make even a person like me terribly uncomfortable. The good thing is that it is healing nicely albeit slowly. I saw before I left my apartment that the bruises were much lighter than before.

I couldn't understand why I didn't fight back harder. Did I really resign myself to dying that time? That damned vampire almost broke my neck and these marks were the proof of that.

I know that for those who knew that I am a vampire, it is weird to see this kind of injury lasting this long. Of course, I am only an ex-human and despite having the blood of three purebloods running through my veins, my stubbornness in drinking blood as well as blood tablets have seriously compromised my vampire healing. Not that I really give a damn about that. Right now, I _needed_ any proof I could get that a part of me is still human.

Even though I knew that was pretty much impossible from this point on. I was already on the point of no turning back. No matter how much I think about it, my being a vampire would never change. I would carry this curse that was selfishly pushed on to me for as long as I live.

"How many damned times do I have to reprimand the both of you!"

Yagari-sensei's angry voice cut through my depressing haze of thoughts and I quickly brought my whole attention to him. If there is one thing that would piss him off more, it would be not listening while he is giving his lecture.

For the past four years, he has been keeping a close eye on me and making sure that I'm all right. It annoyed me a couple of times but I can never deny the fact that him caring always makes me warm inside. He might not be the doting stepfather that Chairman Cross is but he is becoming more and more like another father figure to me. If those two had anything in common, it was their over protectiveness.

"I keep telling you two to stop taking huge risks in every mission. And you, Zero Kiryuu," he said as he faced me fully, "are currently recovering from that mishap last mission. If I had to tie you up in bed to stop _you_ from taking another one so soon, I would not hesitate to do so," his eyes narrowed upon me and I turned my gaze away once more. "Are we clear on that matter?" he asked and I only nodded in response. I couldn't seem to find my voice as of that moment.

I've been acquainted with Touga Yagari for so many years and in my cursed life, he was one of the few who had always been there for me. It also meant that I knew him better than the others and I know for sure that he is really serious in that statement. That is probably the reason why I didn't answer back or offer any excuses, not that I have any in my mind at the moment.

"And you, Kaito Takamiya, should know better than to let your partner take on such a dangerous task in that condition," Yagari-sensei said as he now rounded on Kaito who cringed a bit. "So many things could've gone wrong. Plus, I heard some rumors about you taking on a vampire bare-handed. What kind of idiotic stunt is that? Here I thought you were the more level-headed one," he concluded and I could now feel Kaito's guilt in the air.

It seemed that even words failed Kaito since he didn't offer any response whatsoever.

"Now, now. I believe that they've learnt their lesson well after that talking to," a cheerful and kind voice cut through the thick silence that permeated the area.

"I hardly think that would happen with these two idiotic pupils of mine," Yagari-sensei answered back. "It makes me even wonder if you ever listened properly. Or if you learned anything from me. With the way you kids are doing things, I even doubt it."

Chairman Kaien Cross walked inside the office and settled down on one of the comfortable armchairs as he smiled kindly at all of us. I would never admit it in a million years but I was really glad that Cross came at the right time. Even though I respect and admire Yagari-sensei, I didn't want to spend the whole hour listening to him scolding me again for being reckless. That kind of scenario would only increase my guilt tenfold. And I had enough guilt to last me a lifetime. Judging by the relieved sigh right next to me, I think that Kaito also shared the same sentiment.

"Past is past, you know. What _we_ should be talking about now is the present and the future," Cross said as his eyes turned rather serious for a second. As the moment passed, he smiled as he looked at me and Kaito," I'm sure that Zero-rin and Kai-chan have heard enough lectures for today, Touga-kun."

_Zero-rin and Kai-chan?_

If there is one thing I dislike most about Cross, it is his way of making these utterly ridiculous names from out of nowhere. God knows how long I've been trying to persuade him to at least call me Zero or Kiryuu. Something much normal compared to that embarrassing name he often addresses me with. Despite numerous threats, nothing seemed to happen. So after failing countless of times, I decided to just ignore it and stop myself from trying to murder my idiotic adoptive father.

Yagari-sensei sighed audibly. "Fine. I'll continue this damned discussion with the two idiots later," he replied.

I'm quite surprised that Yagari-sensei let the matter drop so easily. It wasn't like him at all. I also noticed that after that statement, he shared a weird look with Cross. That definitely can't be good. Whenever such a thing happened between them, it could only mean something bad happened or is happening. I gazed at Kaito who only shrugged his shoulders in response. At least, I'm not the only one who is being kept in the dark. Still, I can't shake away the worry I felt. Something is going on. I'm very certain of that fact.

"Since you're the one who suggested it, you tell those kids about it," Yagari-sensei stated suddenly.

_Did Cross just pout right then?_ I didn't manage to catch that part since it happened too fast. But there is no way an adult would do that, right? So it must've been my stupid imagination. With those thoughts in mind, I prepared myself for the news.

"I don't want to be the one to say this but after what happened last time, the association has reason to believe that someone is after you, Zero-rin," Cross said as he turned his eyes towards me. "There isn't enough evidence to support that but everyone agreed that it wouldn't be any trouble for all of us to be prepared in case something would happen," he continued in a more serious voice.

The atmosphere turned grave in an instant and I felt a bit unnerved by everyone's worried glances. Guess I was right again, it really is bad news.

"What exactly are you trying to tell me?" I asked tonelessly. I hope to God that it wasn't what I am currently dreading. There is no way in a million years that the Vampire Council is going to be involved with the Hunter's Association. It's only a simple case and nothing more.

"The association decided that it would be better for you to have a protection of some sorts," Yagari-sensei told me.

"You mean a bodyguard?" I asked incredulously.

"In a sense of the word," he replied.

"I can take care of myself just fine. I don't need a bodyguard to protect me or fight my battles for me," I told them coldly.

"We know that you're perfectly capable of holding your ground evenly against purebloods and other strong enemies. But we cannot afford to underestimate whoever is behind this and of course, we don't want to take any chances regarding your safety," Yagari-sensei said to me in a matter-of-factly tone.

"The association wanted this because of your current position in here. You're a candidate for the presidency and a rather strong hunter, something this place needs after the fiasco years ago," Cross said after a while. "For me and Touga-kun, we just want to make sure that you're safe. You're important to us after all, Zero-rin."

Oh hell! I can't believe that Cross went and said that. I have gotten really soft if I felt strangely warm in hearing those words. I closed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of me as I sighed deeply. "On the _off chance_ that I do _agree_, who are you assigning?" I said wearily as I opened my eyes and gazed at my adoptive father.

Cross looked like a kid who had gotten his Christmas present early. "Well, Kaito is already your permanent partner so we'll continue with that arrangement. There is also another hunter that would be assigned to your command later on. And also, it was decided that the Vampire Council would be lending a hand."

"The Vampire Council?" Kaito said all of a sudden and I could clearly see the surprise in his features. Even though he had gotten used to me being an ex-human, it didn't mean that it extended to the other vampires.

"Yes, Kai-chan. _That council._ It seems that Kaname-kun showed some interest regarding the incidents that's been happening around the city. He suggested one time that a joint operation would be acceptable to him," Cross said to Kaito.

That name again. No matter where I go, his name always pops up. Aside from the sadness, I also felt anger towards that bastard. If that asshole is going to be working with the association, I am going to make sure that I don't run into him again. I take back what I thought to myself a few days ago about wanting to see him. I know now that seeing that pureblood would be a disaster waiting to happen.

"You mean the mysterious disappearances," I uttered indifferently as I steered my thoughts away from him.

"Exactly. Not only hunters but several vampires including nobles have gone missing as well," Yagari-sensei explained. "That's why everyone at the meeting decided that the joint mission with the council would benefit us greatly. It is highly possible that the disappearances were linked to the appearance of the Noir Drug. We need all the help we can get to ensure that the existence of vampires and hunters remain a complete secret," he concluded.

"That is why we've also decided to let you continue taking missions even the ones regarding the Noir Drug provided that you have your partner with you. Due to recent events, I've also enlisted the help of Kaname-kun," Cross said a little bit too cheerfully.

"Basically, you're going on missions with _that_ Kuran," Yagari-sensei said in the most off-handed tone possible.

I felt like the whole world crashed down on me with that simple statement. There is no way in hell that I'm going to accept partnering up with Kaname again. Even though there is a very tiny part of me that wants to see that bastard, I know that doing a mission in close proximity with him would just ruin my concentration. I already had enough trouble thinking straight without him there with me; imagine that bastard right next to me. I believe that things would be a hundred times worse.

"The hell?" I said angrily. "I refuse to partner up with that damned asshole!"

"He's right, Cross," Kaito added. "Why do we need that guy's protection? I can protect Zero just fine on my own."

"Language, Zero-rin," Cross admonished before replying to Kaito. "Kaname-kun's protection would be of great help to Zero-rin and if the enemy is a vampire, he or she would think twice about seeking a fight with a pureblood."

"Sensei? You can't possibly think that's a good idea," I said to Yagari-sensei, hoping that he would agree with me.

"Can't say I agree with the decision a hundred percent. But, if a pureblood's help would do you good, then I have no more objections."

"How the hell can I accept something this stupid!" I told them angrily. "I don't believe that Kuran would also think of this as a good idea. Besides, why would he go out of his way to help me? It's not like I'm a _priority_ to him." The words stung much more deeply than it should have. But I tell myself that this is the truth. There is nothing wrong with it except the fact that it made my heart hurt more than I ever thought possible.

"You don't know that, Zero-rin," Cross told me softly as though he knows something about it that I don't.

"This is non-negotiable, kid," Yagari-sensei says as he lights up a drag. "It's either you accept this request or you stop taking missions."

"This is so unfair," I stated angrily.

"Well, we all know that life's never fair, kid," Yagari-sensei added.

Fucking hell! The worst possible outcome just happened. I just lost the argument right then and there. It only meant that I am going to be partnered with Kaname Kuran. The damned bastard that played me. The pureblood that left me four years ago.

_How can I forget the past, when it keeps finding its way back into my heart?_

**-xxXxxXxx-**

**-Kaname-**

As I sit in front of my desk back at the Kuran mansion, my mind continues to wander off to Zero Kiryuu. Even though I tried my best to forget about him, it seems that my heart and soul continues to yearn for his presence. There were so many days when I couldn't concentrate on anything at all and always find myself thinking about the past – of the time when he was still here with me. Of a time when none of this danger surrounded us.

The incident with the missing hunters and nobles had left me pondering about the enemy. There is something going on behind the shadows and I have a hard time gathering the necessary information to figure out the mystery. I hate to admit it but the enemy this time is much more cunning than anyone I had ever faced before.

But I cannot afford to make any mistakes, not when Zero's life is on the line. I heard what that level E said about its master wanting Zero. I can't let that happen. I have come this far in protecting his life and I won't let him die no matter what.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the leather armchair. It looks like the incidents these past few days had tired me to some extent.

Once again, I remembered that Zero always gave his best for me and he had always been there whenever I needed him. Even when he had every reason to hate me, he found it in his heart to forgive me. He made me feel so much more alive than I had ever been for a long time. He gave so much to me and yet, all I ever did was hurt him in the end. I destroyed the strong bond we worked so hard to build. And there is no one else to blame but _myself._

I also understood what it felt like to be something frightening and trying to maintain some shred of humanity. He fought the same kind of darkness that threatened to destroy who I really was. It was a darkness that threatened to destroy _him_ and take him away from me. We both waged internal wars against the monsters inside us. It made us dangerous to everyone around and especially to each other. I'd been so busy in the past worrying about a lot of things that I'd forgotten that he was always fighting the _vampire_ inside of him. He was always thinking of me and what I needed, and I never really thought about what _he _trulyneeded.

In the beginning, I strongly disliked him. He was my rival for Yuuki's affections. He was disrespectful and stubborn. He always defied my orders and despite knowing that I am a pureblood, he dared to point his Bloody Rose at me. I always told myself back in those days that he was nothing more than an ex-human. A vampire I kept sane and alive for my own selfish purposes. I sought to use his talents against my enemies and I knew for certain that I would've done away with him once he finally outlived his usefulness. He was just a pawn. A chess piece that was the key to my victory.

But as time passed by, I grew more curious about him. I wanted to know more about Zero and I reasoned that it was because I wanted to know the young man's weaknesses. I could use that knowledge to break him should I ever find him stepping out of the line. I would also manage to gain the upper hand against him.

I realized now that I was always making up excuses to cover the fact that I began feeling something for the hunter. A feeling that managed to rival those of my sisterly affection for Yuuki.

My quest for those weaknesses led me to discover so many things about him. I understood that I was mistaken in thinking so little of him. He wasn't like whom I perceived him to be. Behind the stoic and cold exterior lied a strong and kind-hearted yet lonely individual. A person who suffered and lost so much yet continued to live through it all. He knew how powerful his enemies were, but those facts didn't deter him from his goal of protecting everyone that mattered to him. He always stood up proudly and he never let anything stand in his way.

He was betrayed so many times, but he never stopped himself from finding goodness in others. He was hated by both vampires and hunters, but he was always there to lend a hand whenever trouble arises. He was strong, stronger than anyone I had ever known. I guess that it started from my simple admiration of his strength. His will. His very soul.

Before I even knew it, I was madly in love with him.

For years, I had fought against my own heart. All because I was afraid of sadness, suffering, and abandonment. Even though I showed kindness and compassion to others, I couldn't give them my heart fully. I was determined not to let anyone get too close. Then, I realized that true love was above all that. I had always thought that only others had the courage to love. But I discovered soon that I am also capable of loving someone. Even if loving him meant leaving, or sorrow, or solitude, my love for him was worth every penny of its price.

"Deep in my heart, I am suffering in knowing that I've lost you, Zero," I told myself as I draped my forearm across my eyes. "On the outside, I'm always living and pretending that I've really forgotten you. Yuuki told me that I was only lying to myself and I was surprised that she knew what I was doing. It seems that I've underestimated her perceptiveness."

The last time I saw Yuuki was almost a few weeks ago. Many years ago, she accepted wholeheartedly the fact that I loved someone else. She told me that she always knew that I loved her only as a younger sister and that wouldn't change no matter what she did. She mentioned that she also loved someone else and no matter what happens, she would support me. When she discovered that it was Zero Kiryuu, she was glad that I found my happiness and that Zero found a reason to live. Though the mention of Zero's name had a different tone to it. Her kindness as a human had never changed even when she became a pureblood vampire. She was still that same, sweet girl I protected so many years ago.

'_You're lying to yourself, Nii-sama. Don't say that you don't care about Zero anymore when you and I both know that it isn't true. You still love him and that hasn't changed after all these years. You're making a huge mistake in thinking that you made the right decision. You're only making yourself suffer unnecessarily.'_

She was right, I still loved Zero. That was a fact that I could not deny.

But then, I've already convinced other people that he didn't matter to me and that I didn't need him anymore. It was cruel of me to do that. I left him so suddenly and it was because I knew that it was the only way I could save him from a terrible fate.

After all, no matter what came our way, the countless battles and problems, Zero had always been there beside me. He never faltered, never wavered, and never feared for his own safety. He was beaten, stabbed, abused, and tortured again and again, and yet he still stuck by me, ignoring the possibility that he would die for me one day. It wasn't right. I didn't deserve everything he sacrificed for me. I wasn't worth so high a price.

With the fated battle ever growing closer, I knew that the only way I could ever ensure his safety was to leave. I didn't even give him a proper reason. I just dropped out of his life because I couldn't bring myself to say those words of farewell. It was pathetic of me. It wasn't what a pureblood like myself should be doing. But in front of him, I was a coward.

The incident at that abandoned building was an accident; I never wanted to show myself to him. But when that level E hurt him and bit him, the rage just took control of my own body. Before I knew it, he and I were face to face.

"I've made a huge mistake that time. I should've been able to control my emotions but every time it concerned you, I could never help it," I told myself ruefully. "All I did that time is give you more reason to hate me."

I never expected that seeing and being so close to Zero after four years of separation would awaken the desire in me so strongly. Only he could ever make me feel this way and though he might not know the truth, being apart is killing me inside. I never really wanted to leave him and if things were different, I would want to spend the rest of my life by his side. Who cares about what others thought? Only Zero's opinion mattered the most to me.

The truth was that I am still in love with him and I doubt that this feeling would ever go away. I had never loved anyone like this before and I am also surprised by the intensity of my feelings. I already knew that I would do everything and anything in my power to keep him safe. Even if that meant that I have to go away. Even if it meant that he had to hate me. Even if it meant I would watch as he finds happiness with others.

'_Are you sure that you're prepared for the consequences, Nii-sama? Can you really watch him fall in love with someone else? You should have known that you're not the only one who feels that way for him. I do love him, Nii-sama. And those feelings are not the familial kind. If you keep on staying away like this, I might steal him from you. I don't care if I-I might become your enemy in doing so. This time I would be the one to give him happiness.'_

Yuuki Kuran. She told me those words with determination the last time we saw each other. Her feelings were so pure and I know for certain that she would do her best to give Zero the happiness he deserved. If there was anyone I would entrust my beloved with, it would be with my younger sister. But when I thought about it, why did I feel so hurt when she told me that? Why does my heart ache at the thought of Yuuki taking him away from me?

'_I see. Then that makes things much easier for me. You're not the only person in this world who cares deeply about Zero Kiryuu. If you're going to be like this, always running away from things. Then it would be fairly easy for me to erase all traces of your memories in Zero. You won't be the person in his heart anymore, Kuran. I'll take your place and I'll make sure of that.'_

Kaito Takamiya. The vampire hunter who was Zero's partner in the Hunter's Association. I knew little about that man but I felt so threatened when he told me those words. He is strong and his courage is admirable. He would be able to protect Zero like I have done years ago. He knew a lot about Zero since I heard that the two knew each other when they were still kids. It seemed that for four years, he is the one who took care and looked out for Zero's well-being. He is everything that Zero needed.

It made me feel so jealous and angry. Both Yuuki and Kaito admitted their feelings so blatantly and they had the determination to be with Zero. While I dedicate myself to finding out the enemy, they had the chance to spend time with the person I loved the most.

I straightened up as I went over to the mantel piece where I poured myself a glass of red wine. I stared at its contents as I immersed myself with so many conflicting thoughts.

I wanted him to remain safe and away from my enemies. I thought I would be satisfied as long as he stayed safe, whether or not he was by my side. I thought a lot about that and told myself that it was how love should be. But why do I feel so conflicted? I don't know what to do anymore. I love Zero. And because I loved him, I want him to be happy. His happiness was all that I needed. With that wish alone, I managed to come this far.

And yet… I couldn't bear to watch him with anyone else. I just can't force myself. I should've been able to watch over him but I can't take much more of the pain. This was the first time I had fallen in love like this and I am not sure of what to do with my feelings. There are times when I ask myself why this should happen? Why can't everything be peaceful so that I can be with him?

When I thought hard about it, I knew that I can only bear the end where I'm more than just Zero's past acquaintance.

I opened my fingers and let the decanter fall to the carpet beneath my feet. The glass smashed into a thousand pieces, the wine it contained making a deep red smear across the floor. It reminded me so much of all the blood I had spilled in this never ending battles and conflicts. The blood that brought me and Zero together.

I gazed at the piece of paper in my desk, the one that was sent to me from the Hunter's Association. A joint mission. The one I suggested last time.

"It seems that I'll be working together with you once again, Zero," I told myself seriously.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

**-Zero-**

I stood outside the walls of my apartment building, dreading Kaname Kuran's arrival as the minutes continued to pass by. I hated to admit it but the prospect of talking to this bastard after all these years is making me a complete emotional wreck. Just when I told myself that there was no chance for me to be with him again, this kind of thing happens. Its official, isn't it? The damned world truly hates me.

I leaned against the wall and sighed deeply.

I couldn't understand what the hell is wrong with Cross for asking me to do something this absurd. No wait, scratch that part. He _forced_ me to do something this absurd would be the correct term. I didn't even get any chance to have a say in the matter. The guy just ignored my complaints! Yagari-sensei was no better. He actually _agreed_ to that damned arrangement. Partnering me with that asshole for a mission. I could only imagine what a disaster that's going to be. Kaito backed me up on the claim that this was absurd but it wasn't like the two of us could persuade Cross and Yagari so easily.

There is no way that Cross didn't know what went on with me and _that pureblood._ He was fucking there when Kaname left me and when I went through the pain of knowing that the bastard would never come back. I spent so many months being too depressed to function properly and all throughout that ordeal Cross was there for me. So why did he even believe for a second that this was a great idea and that everything would work out the way he imagined it to be.

I found myself wishing that Kaname wouldn't show up. After all, he didn't seem to want my company in the two occasions that we've stumbled upon each other. So why should this be any different? But I knew better than anyone else that Kaname would come. This was a _duty._ A _mission._ Apparently, personal feelings shouldn't be a priority in a job and he demonstrated that to me countless of times back when we were still together.

God, I need to hold myself together. I didn't need to show Kaname what a weak person I had become.

I pull my hat lower and close my eyes. He was the one who broke the remains of my already shattered heart. The one reason my current world fell into this huge, gaping void. The one who made me shed tears even though I vowed to myself that I would never do so again in front of my family's grave. I have every reason to hate him and forget about him. But no matter what I tell myself, I'm still in love with him and I don't even understand why I feel that way.

_Love._

I always hear the phrase 'love is blind' from countless people but I didn't really care about that at all. Heck, I didn't even believe such a stupid thing. Yet, everything is so much more different now and I realized that it _was_ true. Love really is blind because I must have been blind to love a person like Kaname.

We were worlds apart from each other. It made me think about how stupid and simple I was to believe that things would end up happily between us. The people close to me were right that I did get my hopes up too high. And that I was in over my head. I was the stupid one for ever thinking that you loved me, but maybe, just maybe, I was tired of being alone.

But if I had just realized the obvious fact that it cannot happen from the very beginning and looked away that first night he confessed his feelings to me, everything would've ended differently and my heart wouldn't have been this badly broken.

"Zero Kiryuu," a familiar voice called me from out of nowhere. His voice sounded just like I'd remembered – soft, smooth, deep, able to steal my breath and make my heart pound.

I look up at the sound of _his _voice. Hardly daring to believe that he would really show up. He's there. He's really there. A flesh and blood person, not a specter, not a mere memory.

My first impulse is not to grab him or kiss him or yell at him for the pain he caused me. I simply wanted to cut through the space that separated us, measured in feet – not miles, not continents, not years – and to bring my hand to his face. I wanted to touch him to make sure that it's really him, not one of those dreams I had so often after he left when I'd see him as clear as day, be ready to kiss him or take him to me only to wake up with Kaname just beyond my reach. But I can never touch him. That was a privilege that has been revoked against my will.

"Kaname Kuran," I replied indifferently, even though what I felt was far from that.

He gestured for me to follow him. A few moments later, we were on the busy streets of the city where I had been living for the past few years.

"I can see that you're still devoted in working at the Hunter's Association," he told me as we trudged along the familiar streets heading towards Cross Academy. I could have used the car but I preferred walking instead. It was an activity I indulged myself in to sort out my troubled thoughts. But with him here, I realized that it wasn't helping anything at all. "I had the vague impression that you wanted to have a different kind of living, Kiryuu," he continued in a formal tone as he kept his gaze straight ahead. "If you somehow hate this job, why don't you just quit?"

I can't tell him the real reason why I found myself hating what I'm currently doing. Don't get me wrong. I like being a hunter but then, it reminded me too much of the painful memories I want to forget. The tragedy. The betrayals. The battles. The relationship with him. I feel as if I'll continue to wallow in my despair as long as I keep doing this. But I can't just drop everything all of a sudden. I had my own set of responsibilities and I knew better than to let myself be swayed by my own selfishness and emotions.

It wasn't like _he_ didn't know the underlying reason of my indecision. I can't believe that I'm even having this conversation with him of all people. Plus, the way he talks to me is so annoying and painful. It was like we were some distant acquaintances or something. He was this close to me yet why do I feel as though he's so far away.

I took a deep breath, knowing that I had to answer eventually. "I realized that it was the only thing I could really do. That it was the only life I deserved to have. It isn't like I'm a normal person," I answered with what I prayed was a calm voice. Even though I felt anything but calm at this point on.

"You and I both know that those are just a bunch of excuses," he uttered in the same tone of voice. "You already have a teaching post at Cross Academy. The Chairman mentioned that you are a natural as well as the fact that the students there seemed to hold you in high regards. When you taught those students, do you still tell yourself that you don't deserve to be there? What about the other jobs you took, do you think that way about those as well?

_Why the hell does it matter to you? _

_Who are you tell me what I should be doing with my life?_

_Why do keep on doing this to me? _

_What more do you want from me?_

_Why did you leave?_

I want to shout those questions out loud but I hold myself back. I didn't want him to know how much of my feelings still remain. That despite everything that happened for the past four years, I was still in love with him. I can do this. I can remain indifferent and hopefully, once we reach Cross Academy, I'll find an excuse to be far away from him. I can't stand one more second in his presence, knowing that he really doesn't care about me. My heart could not take more of this abuse.

I sighed deeply. "It's not that easy," I replied wearily.

"Quitting is not that hard, Kiryuu. Rather, it is the part where you are deciding to quit is hard," Kaname said as he kept his gaze averted. "Once you make that mental leap, the rest would be easy," he concluded indifferently.

I stopped in my tracks as the sentence seemed to hit a nerve within me.

"Really? Was that how you fucking quit me?"

And just like that, without even thinking about it, without saying it in my head first, without arguing with myself for days, it's there. One of the questions that had been burning deep inside of me for the past four years. It's finally out in the open.

"It took you a long time to ask me that," he answered coldly.

Kaname didn't even look at me when he said it, and it was like he'd stabbed me in the chest with a knife.

"Should I have just kept quiet? Am I supposed to let this whole damned day go without talking about what happened between us or about what you did?"

"Not really, Kiryuu," he replied in a vague tone of voice.

I tried to regain some semblance of control in myself, knowing that if I didn't do it. I would truly break down in front of him. "So tell me, _Kuran,_ why did you go? Was it because of the Council?"

He shook his head. "It wasn't the Council. They have no control over me. You should be more than aware of that."

"Then what? Goddamnit, what the hell was it?" I could clearly hear the desperation in my own voice at that moment.

He paused for a moment before answering. "It was a lot of things."

"I see," I commented coldly. "Even until now, you can't even be honest with me. I should've known better than to think that you were ever different from all of the damned vampires I met. Tell me; was it fun to see me suffer? Was it fun to watch as I fool myself into thinking that you even cared?"

"You should really stop putting words into my mouth," Kaname replied with the same distant tone. It made me want to punch him hard, to hurt him just as he had hurt me.

I gazed at him angrily. My heart beating angrily in my chest. "What was I supposed to think? You left without a word all these years. You could've at least told me," I said to him, my voice rising to a shout. "Instead of dropping me like a fucking one night stand, you could've at least had the decency to break up with me or tell me it's over instead of leaving me wondering for four years…"

He turned his back on me and he began walking without a backward glance.

He was leaving and so did I. There really was no chance for us to go back to that time. I really should've stopped this meeting. I wiped the tears at the edge of my eyes angrily. Feeling utterly stupid for even being here.

Whoever said that the past isn't dead had it backwards. It is the future that is already dead, already played out. This whole damned meeting had been a mistake. It isn't going to let me rewind. Or unmake the mistakes I've made. Or even the promises I've made. Or have him back.

I was about to take a step back to my apartment when I felt something in the air. I turned around to see a blur of speed rushing towards Kaname. From the looks of things, he didn't sense the presence heading for him. The flash of silver of a blade was the only thing that registered in my mind.

As soon as I realized what would happen, my body began to move on its own accord. I knew that it was practically too late but I felt as if I would regret it if I didn't do something. Without thinking of the repercussions, I headed towards Kaname with the intention of helping him. I saw the surprise evident on his features as a mysterious individual rushed towards him. I'm quite sure that even he didn't manage to detect the presence until it was this close.

I didn't have time to even pull out my weapon. Things were happening too fast for me to catch up. A heartbeat later, I found myself in front of Kaname and into the path of the sword. There was only a seconds notice when the pain sliced through my whole system. The man pulled out his weapon back with a shocked expression.

"Fucking hell! This wasn't supposed to happen."

"You imbecile, we need that hunter alive. If Zero Kiryuu dies now, then all of our plans would fail!"

"He was the one who got in the way."

"There's no time to see if he's okay. We have to go. You better hope that he lives or else the organization will kill all of us for this."

"God dammit!"

The pain in my chest was mind numbing and my throat kept filling with blood. I choked on it and pulled my hand away from my injury to see how much damage the enemy had done when he'd stabbed me. The fabric was shredded and there was too much blood for me to even see my skin. I squeezed my eyes shut as another torrent of pain shot through me. I staggered dizzily on my feet as Kaname called my name over and over again. He touched my shoulder and I ground my teeth in pain. Every inch of my body hurt, and cold rushed through me, spreading from the wound in my chest.

"Zero… This is… Oh God…" Kaname whispered as he gazed at me with widened eyes.

All of a sudden, an intense pain caused me to cry out and double over. Kaname uttered my name and it looked as if his coldness was a façade. The Kaname I remembered is now here and I felt as if the distance between us vanished. Who is the real Kaname? I thought randomly. I don't understand what is going on anymore. One second he was so distant, the next it's like this. Was everything that happened a lie?

He grasped me close to him as my knees hit the ground. Red drenched my clothes and pooled around me, soaking the ground with darkness like a pit leading to Hell itself.

Kaname held me against his chest, cradling me gently. I never realized how much that touch meant to me. After all these years of being alone, this was the first time he ever held me. The first time he had ever been this close to me after he left. He pulled my coat away and unbuttoned my shirt to examine the wound. I stared into his face as he saw the extent of the damage and he clenched his eyes shut, sucking in his upper lip and setting his jaw tight. He took a deep breath and looked into my face, tucking my silver hair behind my ear and thumbing my cheek tenderly.

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He wouldn't lie to me and tell me that it was nothing. He would never lie to me about something like this. He leaned over me and pressed his forehead to mine, his body shuddering with a pain different from my own.

Maybe this was better. If I died now, maybe the pain would finally cease to exist.

"_Kaname,"_ I breathed. It hurt to speak and I could barely look at him, but I had to do both of those for him. _"I'm sorry… I... I… can't keep… my promise…"_

Then as if a switch has been turned off, the darkness at the edge of my vision swallowed me whole. Before I knew it, I couldn't feel a thing anymore.

**-chapter 3 end-**


End file.
